Name/Title
untitledEntry/Object ID
2023.2.1Description
This large-scale painting by Purvis Young is encased in a makeshift scrap board frame and, like many of Young's artworks, was rendered on castoff wood panels. Two boards are stacked lengthwise to form the full body of this work. The top register features four faces staring out at the viewer. These faces, rendered in black and yellow, appear to be crowned by gold halos and sport a variety of expressions, from gaping mouths (far left and far right) to downcast eyes (middle right). The bottom half of the painting features several figures in black, white, red, and yellow, all arranged in lines that curve with the hilly green landscape. A red and green car filled with figures can also be seen in the top center of the work.Acquisition
Accession
2023.2Source or Donor
Lou and Calynne HillAcquisition Method
GiftMade/Created
Artist Information
Artist
Young, PurvisRole
ArtistDate made
n.d.Interpretative Labels
Label
Purvis Young (1943-2010) was a self-taught artist from the Overtown neighborhood of Miami, Florida. Having researched art history extensively, Young said he is influenced especially by Van Gogh, Picasso, and Rembrandt. His work was usually characterized by a blend of painting and drawing, as well as the incorporation of discarded everyday objects in a collage style. Young's vibrant paintings often show the streets of Overtown with "graffiti-like repetitive images" of traffic crowds and hovering angels. Inspired by documentaries, literature, American history, and spiritual folklore, his visual vocabulary was vast. He used angels to represent hope, wild horses to represent freedom, and eyes to represent "the system.” His style is naive, expressionistic, and symbolic.Created By
ashley.williams@gadsdenarts.orgCreate Date
March 21, 2024