Gerald Williams USA, b. 1941
Portrait Y, 1970
Acrylic on linen
24 x 18 in
61 x 45.7 cm
61 x 45.7 cm
5735
This vibrant, pointillist painting by AfriCOBRA founding member Gerald Williams combines text, color, and abstract pattern to explore Black identity, mythology, and reality. Begun before and completed after his time...
This vibrant, pointillist painting by AfriCOBRA founding member Gerald Williams combines text, color, and abstract pattern to explore Black identity, mythology, and reality. Begun before and completed after his time living in Africa, the work bridges diasporic and ancestral influences. Utilizing a traditional African mask motif, the central face emerges through cosmic fields of color, posing a powerful philosophical question: “If you are not a myth, then whose reality are you?” This piece reflects Williams’ commitment to spiritual depth, cultural affirmation, and AfriCOBRA’s vision of a vibrant Black aesthetic.
Provenance
Artist StudioKavi Gupta Gallery
Exhibitions
Recent Select ExhibitionsMet Breuer
AFRICOBRA 50 at Kavi Gupta
Tate Modern Brooklyn Museum
Crystal Bridges Museum of Art
Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts
Cleveland Museum of Art
North Miami MOCA