This catalog commemorates the exhibition " 'To See Reality in a New Light' The Art & Activism of Marion Perkins, " held at the Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection of Afro- American History and Literature at the Carter G. Woodson Regional Library in Chicago from January 31 to December 31, 2009.Sculptor Marion Perkins emerged from Chicago's South Side during the 1930s to become one of that city's most celebrated artists. Largely self-taught, Perkins carved out an impressive body of work from scrap stone salvaged from abandoned buildings. The prestigious Art Institute of Chicago was one of the first to recognize his talent.