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Preview
Changing Perspectives: Abstraction as a New Form of Expression
Study of the visual arts of Africa by Europeans in the early part of the twentieth century dramatically changed the look of modern painting and sculpture. Observing the geometric patterns, distorted figures, and simplified forms in objects they saw in anthropology museums, European artists used the information to build a modernist vocabulary, applying various meanings to abstract shape, form, and color.
With the onset of World War II, many European artists and intellectuals found refuge in the United States. American artists, including African Americans, drew from ideas on abstraction that these Europeans had brought with them. These principles were then expanded to make uniquely American expressive statements. This brought new challenges and opportunities for African American artists who had combined their artistic ambitions with their racial identities. As African American artists continued to explore abstraction, some moved toward the elimination of recognizable forms.
Visit the exhibition to see some of the stunning results first hand.
Image Caption: Charles Ethan Porter, Lilacs, ca. 1890, oil on canvas. Walter O. Evans Collection. (left)