Name/Title
untitledEntry/Object ID
2023.2.9Description
In this artwork, Sudduth depicts two female figures donning very distinctive outfits and gazing out at the viewer. Executed in Earth pigments, the figures are rendered in brown with dark brown and white accents. The pair of women occupy a majority of the picture plane, almost entirely enclosed by the cocoa-brown border (with the exception of the left woman’s elbow). They share similar coloring in regards to their almond skin and richly dark and voluminous hair. In addition, their facial features are very much alike, arranged into matching straight but smooth expressions. Their identical plunging v-neck “jumpsuits” and studded belts are skintight, and may suggest a standard “uniform” or a popular female fashion. Finally, their bodies are highly stylized, with very long torsos, short legs, and round hips.Artwork Details
Medium
Earth pigments on woodAcquisition
Accession
2023.2Source or Donor
Lou and Calynne HillAcquisition Method
GiftMade/Created
Artist Information
Artist
Sudduth, Jimmy LeeRole
ArtistDate made
n.d.Interpretative Labels
Label
In addition to being a prominent blues musician, Jimmy Lee Sudduth (1910-2007) was one of the early masters of Southern Vernacular Art. Unlike most other artists belonging to the category of “Outsider Art,” Sudduth was actively involved in his community and created works inspired by life around him. He grew up in Fayette County, Alabama, with his Native American mother, who practiced herbal medicine and taught Sudduth about plants and their properties. Sudduth was renowned for his inventive and joyful mud paintings on plywood. He used a combination of substances including dirt, clay, berry juices, leaves, sugar, coffee grounds, and sashes for his paintings, and opted to paint with his fingers instead of brushes because they “never wore out.” While his subject matter ranged from southern mansions and cotton picking to Manhattan skylines, he mainly depicted the people and places of his hometown.Created By
ashley.williams@gadsdenarts.orgCreate Date
March 21, 2024