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William Christian (1932-1994) was the preeminent artist of Milwaukee’s Black Arts Movement. Self-taught, he helped found the Inner City Arts Council, mentored generations of Black artists, and was described as an artist of “luminous individuality,” the “same caliber … as Miles Davis was a musical artist.”
“Roz” reflects Christian’s fondness for ‘people painting’ and exhibits all the “life, strength, beauty and mystery” with which Christian imbued his character studies of women. "Roz" closes the exhibit sharing a knowing glance back at Edgar Jeter's "Girl Reading"—or back to Sylvester Sims' "Brothers." Together, "Roz" and Jeter's reader frame the second half of the exhibit.
Christian exhibited alongside nearly all the artists featured in "Art as Anchor," and Gerald Duane Coleman (who precedes Christian in the exhibit), Janice E. Dicks (work by Dicks is on view at the Center Street Branch), and Della Wells all cite him as a formative influence. The Milwaukee Public Library Collection has other work by Christian, including a work on view at the Center Street Library. Extensive biographical information for the artist is available as part of the MPL Digital Collections Milwaukee Black Arts Movement digital collection.