Lawrence was recognized early on in his life and remained a
force as an interpreter and chronicler of the African American experience. He
was given to work in series; many included forty or more individual pieces. He
was purchased early on by MoMA and other prominent collections. Lawrence was
truly a modernist, innovator and cultural contributor. He was much akin to the
European Modernist of his time, Matisse, Picasso, Leger and Modigliani. His
African American compatriots Bearden, Douglas and Alston are alluded to in his virtuosic
efforts too. With that being said Lawrence remained true to his vision
throughout his life; all the more remarkable for an almost totally untrained
master.
Narrative was a hallmark of the man’s work. He strayed from
the modernist doctrines in this respect. His Migration Series, Toussaint
L’Ouverture Series and War Series are represented in this exhibit along with
others including his Harlem Series and John Brown Series. These are definite
historical stories and close to theatrical story boards. At best; when all is
spoken Lawrence considered himself a Social Realist.
A high point of the opening reception was a talk by Leslie
King Hammond; activist, historian, and professor emerita at the Maryland Institute
College of Art. Dr. Hammond was a close friend to Jacob Lawrence and able to
give personal reflections of the man along with a deep knowledge of his life
and works. She touched all the bases and added interesting and new insights.
Dr. Hammond was like a fountain in a beautiful garden of color and content.
This exhibition of Jacob Lawrence prints featured over
ninety individual pieces. The last exhibition I have recently seen with such a
large, over whelming number of great pieces was at New York’s Metropolitan.
That exhibit featured about one hundred original and exclusive drawings by the
world and historically renowned; Michelangelo Buonaroti. Rarely has something of that cultural
significance and scale been mounted in South Western Virginia. The color,
vibrancy, refinement and geometry of Lawrence’s work holds it ground very well.
I drove home still
under the spell of this mammoth in scale; major exhibition. I happened to see a
young man that I often see power walking around town. I spot him in the distance; black, bold,
beautiful, shirtless…red shorts against the dark grey highway making his way
around a curve. The green of late summer in the surrounding foliage were
working as bracketing frames. Above all this was the elegance of a luxurious cumulus
clouded blue sky. This moment, this scene, I had witnessed countless times without
much thought. In my eyes now I’m in the presence of and viewing a living,
breathing Jacob Lawrence Painting; a transformative visionary thing.
“My belief is that it is most important for an artist to
develop an approach and philosophy about life; if he has developed this
philosophy, he does not put paint on canvas, he puts himself on canvas.”
Jacob
Lawrence
