Red Jackson by Gordon Parks 1948

Red Jackson by Gordon Parks

The Red Jackson photograph by Gordon Parks sent me into a whirlwind of reactions from the first time I saw it. Encountering this black and white masterpiece in the Metropolitan Museum of Art feels like a lucky break at first. It’s a thoughtful photographic version of a Vermeer that’s still fresh today, even though it’s …

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De Style by Kerry James Marshall

Kerry-James-Marshall--De-Style

Why is Kerry James Marshall’s painting De Style so perfect for this moment?

– Where South Central LA meets the 1917 Netherlands
– Barbershop as cultural oasis
– Whimsy and gravity unite on canvas

Napoleon Leading the Army over the Alps

Napoleon-Leading-the-Army-over-the-Alps-kehinde wiley

What makes Kehinde Wiley’s painting Napoleon Leading the Army over the Alps a masterpiece?

– Strategic opposition in casting
– War bleeds – Africa glitters gold
– The field of power reframed

From Slavery Through Reconstruction – Aaron Douglas

From-Slavery-to-Reconstruction- Aaron-Douglas

What makes the Aaron Douglas painting From Slavery Through Reconstruction significant?

– Harlem Renaissance revival murals
– The watermarks of yesteryear teach us today
– Racism and Outcry in From Slavery Through Reconstruction

Brick House – Simone Leigh – Sculptor

brickhouse Simone Leigh Brick House The Plinth High Line

A powerful woman awaits on the 10th Avenue High Line bridge – Brick House. Simone Leigh’s glorious sculpture dominates at 30th Street. Walk up the avenue and you can’t miss her. She’s mighty mighty, looming in the distance.