Blues and the Abstract Truth:

Abstract

Truth showcases a multigenerational representation of key artists, many of whom studied or collaborated with one another. Some of the periods and movements surveyed are the Harlem Renaissance, AfriCOBRA and the black arts movement, fem inist art, color field painting, modernist abstrac­ tion, abstract expressionism, minimalism, and post mod ernism. In addition, this project highlights the broad creative talents of painters, printmakers, and sculptors who have studied, worked, and lived in Maryland and Washington, D.C. These artists, including Joseph Deweese Holston (who exhibited his paintings and prints at the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts in 2003), Curlee Raven Holton, David C. Driskell, Curtis Woody, and Schroeder Cherry, examine African American cultural heritage and memory through their paintings, prints, and mixedmedia compositions. The works of art in The Blues and the Abstract Truth present a remarkable range of subjects—from nature to the urban environment and daily life— mediums, and visual techniques that convey the ingenuity, adaptability, and ever-changing nature of African American creative expression. Although the works are executed in diverse styles and methods, many meld or strike a balance between abstract and representational artistic approaches. The inspiration for this exhibition’s title, The Blues and the Abstract Truth, derives from saxophonist Oliver Nelson’s seminal, enthralling 1961 jazz album.1 Nelson allowed the various musical ideas of each performer to drive the form and direction of the featured compositions. As he remarked in the record’s original liner notes, “The augmentation of the forms themselves comes from thematic motifs and melodic ideas.”2 In many regards, the works in this exhibition seek to achieve an aim comparable to that described by Nelson: the underlying themes and concepts of each piece often guide their content and execution. In a quest to find truth and meaning through the creation of their work, the artists confront and attempt to reconcile a variety of concerns, experiences, and emotions. However, as suggested by the words “abstract truth,” these artists often come to terms with these issues by employing nonobjective visual methods and techniques rather than traditional narratives and realist methods. Similarly, the musicians on Nelson’s album synthesized melodic and dissonant forms through the driving force of their probing, innovative improvisations. While the word “blues” has historically conjured associations with melancholy, loneliness, and personal challenges, it also came to define a form of music that emerged in the 1870s and that employed “blue” notes originating from African sources and African American spiritual, folk, and work songs. This type of music would eventually evolve into various genres, including jazz, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll, that we recognize today. Indeed, prints such as Faith Ringgold’s Mama Can Sing and Papa Can Blow (2004 and 2005, front and back covers), Benny Andrews’s Blues Player (2006, fig. 1), Gwendolyn Knight’s The Flutist (1981, fig. 2), and Robin Holder’s blue and atmospheric Louisiana Jumpstart the Night 6 (2005, fig. 3) engage closely with music and improvisation and capture moments of ecstasy and meditation. THE BLUES AND THE ABSTRACT TRUTH VOICES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN ART FIG. 1, Left: Benny Andrews, Blues Player, 2006, etching, edition 20 of 75, 231⁄2 x 181⁄2 inches. On loan from the UMUC Permanent Collection, International Collection. Gift of the David C. Driskell Center at the University of Maryland; FIG. 2, Right: Gwendolyn Knight, The Flutist, 1981, ink on paper, 24 x 18 inches. On loan from the David C. Driskell Center at the University of Maryland. Gift of the Sandra and Lloyd Baccus Collection. © 2019 The Jacob and Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Foundation, Seattle/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York FIG. 3: Robin Holder, Louisiana Jumpstart the Night 6, Musicians series, 2005, ink on paper, 191⁄2 x 28 inches. On loan from the David C. Driskell Center at the University of Maryland. Gift of the artist. © 2010 Robin Holder, Photograph 2017 Greg Staley