The Over | Under Exhibit highlights the history of Houston’s Taylor Stevenson Ranch—the only African American Century Ranch in Texas.
Exhibit
Under the guidance of Beverly Stevenson, the Senior Graphic Design and Architecture departments collaborated in groups of 3-4 people to construct an installation to highlight a specific topic regarding the history of the Taylor Stevenson Ranch, which was founded in 1875 by Edward Ruthven Taylor (E.R.) and Ann George Taylor.
After returning home from the Civil war, E.R. was placed under the care of Ann George, his family's slave. Through the time they spent together, they fell in love. However, their union was an illegal interracial marriage. Under Ann's persuasion, E.R. purchased what is now the Taylor Stevenson Ranch, which allowed them to live out their union in secret.
A Legacy Rooted in Ink aims to highlight the perseverance of the original Taylor family homestead, and how despite its foundations being rooted in societal contradictions and taboos, it was also able to give root to change, facilitating a legacy that would sustain E.R. and Ann’s descendants for generations to come.
In order to convey this message, the structure consists primarily of documents and first-hand written accounts to display the origins, circumstances, and change surrounding E.R. and Ann’s lineage.
