Where Y'all Be Fishing At?

“Where y’all be fishing at?” is a question every Mississippi fisherman knows, and answering it honestly means giving something up. A good fisherman keeps their spot private, and this painting is Allen’s. Returning home from the Art Institute of Chicago or from travels abroad, the bank was often the first place she went. Her signature acrylic nails are not an incidental detail; they speak to the duality Allen carries as a woman who is equally at ease with femininity and the outdoors. The viewer is placed in her position at the water’s edge, inheriting the quiet and the anticipation of waiting for a bite at a place most people will never find.

This piece was selected for the South Arts State Prize & Fellowship Traveling Exhibition. This work will travel for one year, beginning July 16th, and will be delivered to the collector upon return.