Celebrating the Gordon Gift is an exhibition featuring works by Charles White that is currently on display at the Blanton Museum at The University of Texas in Austin, Texas. Charles White is an American artist, often referred to as a master artist, who was born in Chicago Illinois in 1918 and died in Los Angeles, California in 1979. His notable series of works had been gifted to the Blanton Museum in September. This exhibition features twenty-three of his works, all of which that deal with the representations of black life and surrounding past and present cultures. I will go into detail regarding a portion of the works featured in this exhibition, the contexts in how/why/when the works the were made, and how they are a response to the racism and inequality in America both then and now. It is a collection that dives deep into the depths of what makes American modernism “American” and how the art form can be interpreted differently when put through the point of view of someone else.
Upon entering the exhibition space, the viewer is met with a small room incorporating both White’s lithograph prints and works drawn with mainly charcoal and conte crayon. The lighting is dim, non-fluorescent, almost invoking this feeling of melancholy as they cast over the prints and drawings as if one can immediately sense what the figures in the paintings are experiencing. It can be noted that a majority of the works seen within the space are drawn/printed with the same brown. If not the same, varying shades of brown. Whether or not that has to do with technique and the idea of making these works look historic, or something more contextual may be left up to the viewer to decide. In my eyes I believe this technique has to do with both processes. Many of the works are of average print size (maybe 24 x 36 inches), though there are a few that are grander in size, reaching to what I would estimate to be bigger than life. This work in particular is titled Wanted Poster Series #10, made in 1970. First and foremost, this work is mentioned to be a mural project, hence its large size. The work is an oil wash brushed and stenciled with masking out over traces of graphite pencil on commercial laminated board, and features that of a small black child swaddled in a blanket. Surrounding the child are words that read “KNOW YE STATES HAS PURCHASED NEGROES FOR THE SUM DOLLARS. TERMS OF SALE INSURED”, abstract body parts hover over its head, and the 2D texture of where White seems to have traced over a different textured surface makes it appear as if though the paper as been folded, much like a poster, flyer, or paper money. Like many of his other works in the collection, this work is monotone in color, playing with all the different shades the color brown can offer. It is a work that is a direct statement of what White has endured regarding the oppression and degradation African American’s have endured both currently and historically within the United States, and it is mentioned that the use of the child within the drawing reflects how black children were commodified during the era of slavery.
Another standout work within the exhibition is his a lithograph print titled I Have A Dream. This work presents a mother and child, to which the child is held cradled within its mothers arms, sleeping or perhaps otherwise. The mother, hooded in cloth, is looking up toward the sky the viewer cannot see. The background has no presence, as the figures are contrast as they stand against a bleak white. This work presents the same brown colors seen throughout the space, albeit the emotion in the piece feels much more raw. The marks in the shading and in the colors present a softness to this work that, again, can be seen throughout the most of his works. A very sketch-like quality that just feels finished. If one is to take into consideration the title of the work, I Have A Dream, it can immediately be tied to the fact that this work is presented under the context of the Civil Rights movement. I believe many us know exactly what this title is inspired by and should already know of the context of this work or at least the way in which it hopes to present itself as.
But there was a certain work of his that had caught my eye more than others, and that was Love Letter III. Made in 1997, this work, like many of his other pieces, is a lithograph, and is one of the only pieces incorporating bright, saturated colors featured in the exhibition. Bright gradient blues settle in the background behind a hooded figure who’s style is similar to his other works, that being drawn in a monotone brown color. Above the figure is a conch shell done in a bright, pink, almost blush-y color that appears to float in a way that almost seems it is being looked up to (aside from being literally looked up upon by the figure).
Each of his works present a tone that can be felt throughout the entire exhibition space, and whether that has to do with the situations found within the work, or the way the works are formally drawn and produced, I find that they all present themselves gently. And what I mean by that is that they do not produce any slither of anxiety, nor do they enforce the viewer to think too harshly. There are works where the figures within the works are looking directly at the viewer, and there are works where the figures are looking up or have their eyes softly shut. I believe that the figures that look directly at the viewer are looking because they want to share a sort of humanity with them, or that because they’re saying “look at us”. Of course, not verbally, but through the use of the look and glimmer in their eyes. A sort of “look at us, and what our lives are like and have been like” look in their eyes, one that keeps the viewer drawn to their faces for some minutes on end. Though they are easy to approach, easy to think about, and should be thought about, and the colors and scenes in which he depicts gives across this melancholy tone of longing and tenderness. Soft browns, the soft expressions on these people’s faces, simply just living and being human — being themselves, just like anyone else would.
Regarding what I’ve taken from this exhibition as a whole, I believe it is important to note that, regarding the context of his piece “I Have A Dream”, White says “if I do a mother and a child, I’m think of all mothers and children,” and then he says “I’m thinking of the love between a woman and her child”. For him to say “all mothers and children” with the knowledge of the typical Madonna and child paintings in mind does not mean only white mothers and children, but mothers and children that are people of color, or, more specifically, black mothers and children. He presents a new point of view on these often archetypal tropes that we as a society are so used to seeing, these same tropes we have all seen throughout our lives as predominantly white. This can also translate to his wanting to directly translate the term “American modernism” into a term that is American. What exactly does American entail? For decades prior artists have always interpreted the meaning of American as a white, heteronormative, happy family. Primarily made up of the upper class, sometimes the middle class, and that is still being referred to today. Despite the United State’s history with being something of a giant melting pot for all cultures, races, and ethnicities, these qualities in what makes the United States so unique continuously goes on neglected, never to be taken seriously even by law. I’ve come to the conclusion of these judgements based on not only the titles of all his works, but the way the work itself and the title goes hand in hand, contextualizing the work far beyond than what it may look like upon first glance — simple figurations of beautiful people in country that has been more than cruel to them as far as history goes. It, perhaps, helps that he describes his work as “images of dignity”. What does this mean, exactly? Images of him, the people he sees, the people he loves. He is proud of who he is and every single one of them and he wants to show the world this love he has through the use of his art. He enforces the viewer not only to think, but to confront the history in a way that should inform. A history not many of us are familiar with because it is never taught in schools. Especially southern or Texas schools.
Work similar to White’s that makes me think of similarities in concepts are he works by Kehinde Wiley. Their work is not to be compared completely, however, as they both deal with very different types of art formally and conceptually, but it is this idea of point of view they work with that stick out to me the most. They both represent the beauty in being black in ways that shine a different light on previous works, or previous concepts or ideas. A different point of view, much like I had mentioned before. Wiley’s art deals with presenting those who are black in old, American-portrait style ways, where they may be presented as these political or important figures — but the concept is changed. White’s does the same, but does it in a manner that changes the point of view of everyday life situations. I can’t help but wonder if Wiley had ever been inspired by White at any given point. White defines himself as a social realist. What does being social realist mean? It means what one would expect it to mean — to combine the ideas of realism and social issues or the culture within the United States is what makes social realism. Work that presents people who are not often seen as the norm in American media or “culture”. Their values, their culture, their daily lives that are either very similar to everyone else’s or very different. This is what White wanted to show in his work. To “affirm the humanity and beauty of American people and culture”, as mentioned by The Heritage Gallery. My overall take away from the exhibition was that it made me see this neglect many galleries and museums seem to have for art much like White’s, the art of and by African Americans.It is good to see a place like the Blanton be more inclusive, and I believe that White’s art is a perfect example of this, to see into the lives of people through his eyes, but it’s not very often I see a gallery or museum do something similar. It is a shame that it does not have more than a handful of his works, though I believe the works they have chosen were very beautiful yet powerful on their own, these works I believe that everyone should see at some point, especially those who wish to improve upon their printmaking skills, as his skills shine through many of his works. So, at the end of the day, what does American modernism mean? American modernism has much to do with the culture within the United States, and this includes the fact that it has and always been one of the most diverse countries on the planet, and will continue being so. White’s artwork reminds us that America will never just be white or will never just be people who are white passing.