|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current Exhibitions Future Exhibitions Back to Exhibitions |
 Jacob Lawrence: Hiroshima Gouaches October 5–December 1, 1996 In 1982, Jacob Lawrence was commissioned to create a series of eight paintings that were reproduced in a special edition of John Hersey's book Hiroshima. The book is a chillingly objective account of the atomic bomb explosion in Japan. After accepting the commission, Lawrence read and reread Hiroshima several times and began to see the extent of the devastation in the twisted and mutilated bodies of humans and animals alike. The paintings that Lawrence created are not illustrations for the text, but as he describes, "I wanted it to be in terms of man's inhumanity to man—a universal kind of statement."Indeed the pictures are universal in reference and timeless in their appeal to our senses. Lawrence succeeded in creating images of the most moving and compelling nature. It is these original paintings that were on display at the Tyler Museum of Art's Carmichael Gallery from October 5 until December 1. Jacob Lawrence received almost overnight acclaim when his Migration of the Negro series was shown at New York's prestigious Downtown Gallery in November 1941. With this exhibition, Lawrence became the first black artist to be represented by a New York gallery. He was only twenty-four years old. That same month, Fortune magazine reproduced twenty-six of the series' sixty panels in color in a lengthy article. Since these events, Lawrence's life story has been a record of achievements and accolades. By the time he was thirty, he had become widely known as the foremost black artist in the country. In 1974 the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York held a major retrospective exhibition of his work that toured nationally. In December 1983, Lawrence was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters. For over thirty years he has also distinguished himself as a teacher of drawing, painting, and design. He is currently Professor Emeritus of Art, University of Washington, Seattle, where he is widely regarded with respect and affection. The paintings were available courtesy of the artist and the Francine Seders Gallery Ltd., Seattle, Washington. |