1994
Black Snake Blues
Alison SaarAmerican, born 1956
The languid woman portrayed here longing for her lover (personified by the snake) was inspired by Blind Lemon Jefferson’s 1920s blues song “Black Snake Moan.” The role of the snake remains somewhat ambiguous, calling to mind its opposing symbolic functions as a protector and a potential deceiver lying in wait. Or perhaps the woman is the one in control—her vacant eyes suggest those of a conjurer.
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