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Oral History: KATHERYN BETHEA
Artist: Danielle Cooper
Title: The Gold Brick, 2015, glass, brick, tape, marker, 7”x20”x33”

“The Gold Brick” is comprised of 62 text centered hand cut glass pieces designed to capture the essential lessons of Katheryn Bethea’s life. They also represent the fragile human elements that hold Newark, “The Brick City” together. The gold fabric lining the box helps create the illusion of gold glass encasing the brick and pays homage to Ms. Bethea, a seamstress. The book’s bold text creates a poem of mini life lessons drawn from the interview. For example, “Young people no matter what had somewhere to go and something constructive to do.” Or “Most of the times some of the old people knew something that would help you.” The mini books’ titles were sandblasted, and represent staples of a stable and safe neighborhood. Ms. Bethea and I share a love for this city that comes from living here and interacting with it and its citizens, the gold that paves these streets.

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