We are going to start with looking at light. In this black and white photograph, the white light becomes the highlight of the work. The light exposes the men at work. The light uncovered the invisible to make them visible. The working men look small in the photograph but they become the heroes, the working class. The photograph itself is striking, the crisps black and white edges create the diagonal lines, and when the shadows touch they don’t merge they become spotlights that create the dynamic image.
Let’s have a conversation. The artist photographs workers in their environments, in particular shipping and dock workers. He became friends with the men he photographed and in turn, they invited him to their homes and union meetings. The respect the artist had for their hard work is reflected in his striking photographs.
This artwork with bold black edges is an abstract sculpture of a powerful symbol. A two-dimensional iconic image, that we are familiar with, was the influence of the bronze work. Take another look. Can you guess want the symbol was? A clue is that it started during the Civil Rights. It is a raised fist designed to symbolize black power, which is the tile of the artwork.
Let’s have a conversation. This powerful symbol became internationally recognized during the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City when gold and bronze award winners in the 200-meter sprint put on black leather gloves, lowered their heads and raised their fists in a Black Power salute during the national anthem.
Black edges become daring painted brush strokes in this artwork. Picture the artist creating the thick black lashes of paint, I imagine the paintbrush is wide, the artist arm stretches and reaches upward then bowing down, with a rapid movement again, connecting the choreograph of the painter's hand. The physical being of the artist is present. The abstraction of the color black is the theme of this work. But I also notice it’s not a silent work of art. I hear sounds. Listen. Do you hear music, or the wind blowing, or an overheard conversation? I’m not sure but I appreciate the artwork is about to announce something.
Let’s have a conversation. The artist loved creating and experimenting with his art. He studied art before and after he served in WWII. Following his death, his widow donated 112 of his paintings to the Burchfield Penney collection.
We have been looking at black edges, but I wanted to add one more work by the same artist, another abstract painting with black and red lines of paint. The same energic brush strokes but the artist added the color red. It changes the whole artwork. The painting becomes busier and quite noisy.
In this work, the artist used the strong edgy black diagonal dividing the white paper but added her own movement with a thin twirling line that doesn’t seem to see or care about the boundaries.
Let’s have a conversation. Here again is the red, that color that challenges the black and white. Red speaks loudly and doesn’t shy away but in this work, the red looks comfortable and fitting laying low at the bottom edge of the painting.