Ep. 43 Orangutans & Whitewashed Historical Plans

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Today Milena and Megan cover Lithuanian-Canadian primatologist Birutė Galdikas & African American figurative sculptor Beulah Woodard

Birutė Galdikas

Feeling overwhelmed with the reality that is 2021? Spend a few minutes looking at google images of Lithuanian-Canadian primatologist, conservationist, educator & author Birutė Galdikas and her orangutans – they’ll make you feel better, we swear.

Today Milena finishes up her coverage of the women scientists known as collectively as The Trimates; comprised of Jane Goodall (ep 32), Dian Fossey (ep 7) and last but not least, Birutė Galdikas. We explore how she became part of this group, just where orangutans are actually found and how that has anything to do with Terry Pratchett’s Discworld.

Beulah Woodard

Image of Beulah’s ceramic portrait Maudelle, shown on view at the Museum of Art and Archaeology at the University of Missouri

For every artist that we research there are countless more that have been left out of the historical record. Beulah Woodard is just one example of how people are actively marginalized from inclusion within Art History. In her particular case can it be attributed to systemic racism? We’re gonna go with a 110% yes.

Today Megan covers the biographical information we do have on the first African American artist to land a solo show at what is now the Los Angeles County Museum of Art – featuring a Russian prince, butthole Art Commissions, & whitewashing of history.

Selected Work
Two examples of Beulah’s ceramic portrait work, both are of performing artist Maudelle Bass Weston
1937 bronze cast work Untitled (Bust of a Mangbetu Woman)
1935 work titled Mask, it was one of 19 works featured in Beulah’s solo show at what is now known as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Mentioned this Episode
  • Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson – Father of Black History Month
  • Paul Troubetzkoy – Russian Prince & artist who Beulah studied under
  • Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller – Fellow African American sculptor working at the same time as Beulah, profiled in Ep. 3
  • David Siqueiros – One of the Big Three Mexican mural painters, was hired to paint a public mural by the LA Arts Commission who subsequently whitewashed it
  • Mangbetu Tribe – Peaople from the northeastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo – their distinct beauty rituals have inspired modern creators like Beyonce
  • Miriam Mathews – First African American librarian hired by the Los Angeles Public Library system, known as as the dean of Los Angeles black history

As always, music by EeL