RaveThe Arts FusePowerfully amplified by his plain and straightforward delivery, Black artist Winfred Rembert evokes some of the ugliest and most brutal aspects of American history in his posthumously released memoir ... Chasing Me to My Grave offers most of us a chance to listen to his voice for the first time. His artwork and storytelling are unified by their vivid depiction of scenes from his youth ... One of the more notable stylistic aspects of the memoir is it’s plainspoken delivery. At times, its conversational tone can be confrontational ... Despite the book’s many weighty topics, Rembert does not attempt to moralize or dwell too long on any single trail. He avoids becoming too sentimental; instead, his voice typifies the type of down-to-earth, matter-of-fact resilience that he was forced to develop in order to survive the Jim Crow South and eventually find success as an artist ... He also provides an intimate knowledge of his craft ... Chasing Me to My Grave will most likely appeal to a number of different audiences ... the book stands as a raw and very personal account of the degradations of the Jim Crow South ... the memoir offers invaluable insights into both his life story and fascinating artistic process ... the volume serves as a compelling introduction to a unique artist who has an indispensable tale to tell.
