Wifredo Lam (1915 - 2012)

Wifredo Lam’s untitled drawing (1968) is a remarkable example of his Afro-Cuban, modernist canon of work. Lam, a luminary of surrealism, is known for his large scale paintings and drawings that blend Western techniques with distinctly Afro-Cuban references. In this 19 x 29 inch work, spirited beastly figures outlined with charcoal playfully command attention against the tangerine pastel background. Lam’s utilization of smudging softens the creature’s rigid angles and emphasizes its gentle curves, adding motion and weight to the figures depicted. Overall, this drawing evokes a sense of genial whimsy, which beckons the viewer to take a closer look at the hazy details lingering in its light charcoal shadows.

Provenance

Collection of Colette Creuzevault, Paris, France

Bill Hodges Gallery, New York, NY

Exhibition History

Wifredo Lam and Agustín Cárdenas, 9 September – 5 November 2021, Bill Hodges Gallery, New York, NY

Literature

Bill Hodges Gallery, Wifredo Lam + Agustín Cárdenas, New York, 2021, illus. p. 17

Bill Hodges Gallery, Masterworks of the African Diaspora, New York, 2023, illus. p. 37

Untitled, 1968

Pastel and Charcoal on Paper

19 x 26 in. (48.3 x 66 cm)

Signed and Dated, Lower Right: Wifredo Lam 1968

Signed and Dated on Reverse: Wifredo Lam 1968