ROBERT COLESCOTT Works on Paper Introd11ctio11 and Ack11owledgeme11ts The Van Every /Smith Galleries at
It is a privilege to share the work of
Davidson College are honored to present
Robert Colescott with Davidson College
the work of Robert Colescott, the first
and this community. My heartfelt thanks is
African-American artist to represent the
extended to Phyllis Kind and Ron Jagger of
United States in a solo exhibition at the
the Phyllis Kind Gallery in New York City,
Venice Biennale, which will open in June,
for making this work available to Davidson
1997.
at a time when the artist is gaining his great
Colescott received a graduate degree in
est international visibility and recognition.
art from the University of California,
It was truly remarkable how smoothly the
Berkeley. From there he went on to study
transfer of paintings and drawings from
with the great French painter, Leger, in
New York to North Carolina was arranged,
Paris, and in the 1960s spent two years in
and I am appreciative of their generous
Cairo, studying and teaching, and an addi
cooperation.
tional four years in Paris. The combination of master artistry and
I am especially grateful to Joy Moser, Preparator, for her expert handling and
insightful social criticism serves to elevate
careful installation of the work for this exhi
Colescott to the first rank of this country's
bition, and I am equally appreciative of her
social commentators. His work, both
exuberant personality, and wonderful sense
raunchy and ribald, deals head on with
of humor. Also, I wish to thank Kay Filar,
some of the most divisive issues facing
Art Department Assistant, Gayle Fishel,
America today-race, sex, power and
Publications Designer, Gary Donaldson,
money. His work is both provocative and
Service Worker, and the student assistants of
disquieting, but always 'in your face' hon
the Van Every /Smith Galleries for their
est. He holds up a mirror for all, including
enthusiasm and on-going contributions.
himself, and in so doing helps unravel the
Most of all I thank Robert Colescott for
myths, fantasies and prejudices still ram
sharing his art and vision. To experience
pant in today's society. These issues have
work that raises the horizon of American art
often been perpetuated by art itself. He
is a rare privilege.
calls our attention to the exclusion of black faces in the study of Western art and history by employing exaggerated cartoon figu res which he imposes on well-known paintings of the past.
TTtt' pmgmms of the Vim Etwy/Smrllr Galit'm'S are �em·nmsly srq1110rlrd lnj D,mr,lsmr Cvlleg,·, Davidson, NC.
Perry L. Nesbitt Director J.inuary 1997
Above: Wet Nurse, 1995,acryliconp.1pcr,4!.5x295
On the cover. late Nigl,t Slee,,, 1990, acrylic on p.1pcr, 42 x 30
" He keeps right on asking the toughest questions. Besides bemg an incisive social commentator, Colescott has a consummate eye for visual composition . .... Colescott's paintings can be seen as a chronicle of his feelings, which are inextricably caught up in his perceptions of himself as a black male, and as an artist in America today. It is the hypocrisy of the American Ideal in particular that is his prey. and like the outlaws of Saturday afternoon westerns, he raids the 'sacred cows • of the 'high culture' corral and subverts it through the artful transposi• tion of icons. He exploits kitsch and popular cliches to expose the greater vulgarity that lies menacing, beneath the veneer of cultiva tion that affords America's upper class (and those that asptre to it) an illusory sense of superiority. Even more importantly, Colescott flouts taboos in art, sex, race, money, power, and politics. That his methodology involves the skillful manipulation of cuJ. tural/y enshrined visual images demonstrates his shrewd per• ception of the role these images play in reinforcing this country's tenuous sense of identity, and defining the power relationships of our social order.·
so ingrained that even when I ignore that aspect, it happens. It has a lot to do with my generation of artists. But when I get my work up in a gallery, you see this room of big, sensuous paintings. It's the first impact peo ple get. They walk in and say. 'Oh wow/' and then, 'Oh shit!' when they see what they have to deal with in subject matter. It's an integrated 'one-two, punch.' It gets them every time.· Colcscott, Robert. "Cultivating a Subversive Palette," Rd11111g111g America: TIie Aris of Social C/Ja11gc, Philadelphia, PA. New Society Publishers, 1990. Edited by Mark O'Brien and Craig Little. Forward by Bernice Johnson Reagon.
Bonr i11 Oakland, CA
1949
BA, University of Ca/ifomin, Berkeley
1949·50
Studied w1t/1 Fenrand Leger, Paris, Fra11cc
1952
MA, University of Califomin, Berkeley
1957-66
Associnlc Professor, Portland State Uuiversity
1966-67
Visiting Proft-ssor, American University of Cairo, Egypt
1%7-68
Amcnca11 College i11 Paris, Art History
1967-69
College Art Study Abrood, Paris, Painting & Drawing
1970-74
Profc:ssor of Art, Ca/ifomin Stale College, Sla11is/aus
1974-79
Visiti11g ucturer, U11ivcrsity of Califonria, Berkeley
1983-84
Visitiug Professor, University of Arizo11a, Tucsou
1976-85
lnslructor, Sa11 Francisco Art l11stitufe
Co/c:scol/'s work is i11 over forty public co/lectio11s throughout the U11iled Slates, i11cluding TI1e Akro11 Art Museum, Akron OH; 111e Bostou Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA; BraudC'is University, Rose Art Museum, Waltham, MA; the Brooklyu Museum of Ari, Brooklyn, NY; 11,e Corconm Gallery of Ari, Washington, DC; Ca/ifomia Afro-America11 Museum, Los Angrlc:s, CA; Delaware Museum of Art, Wi/minglon, DE; Denver Museum of Ari, De11ver, CO; Gree11ville Cormly Museum of Art, Gree11ville, SC; High Museum of Art, A//anta, GA; Hirs/r/rom Museum, Waslringlou, DC; Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC; Museum of Modem Art, NYC; NCUX1rk Museum of Ari, NCUX1rk, NJ; Oakland Art Museum, Oakland, CA; Porllmrd Art Museum, Portland, OR; Roswell Museum, Roswell, NM; Sau Francisco Museum of Modem Art, Sa11 Francisco, CA; Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA; Studio Museum i11 Harlem, NYC; Tucso11 Museum of Art, Tucso11, AZ; Victoria Ari Gallery, Victoria, British Columbia; Wadsworth At/renaeum, Hartford, CT; Wake Forest U11iversity, Wake-Forest, NC, aud tire W/1iluey Museum of American Ari, NYC.
198H0
Profc:ssor, University of Arizona, Tucsou
Awards srlrcu,t
1990-95
RJ.oge11I 's Professor of Ari, University of Arizoua, Tucso11
Robert Colescoft ltas ltnd over scvc11ly•hvo solo exh1b1· lious bctwceu 1953 a11d 1997 1/rrouglroul /Ire Uuilcd Statt'S, and in Amsterdam, Holland. He will reprc:se11t /Ire U11iled Stales in tire 11pco111i11g, 1997 Vemce Bie1111ale.
Lowery S. Sims 1s Cum/or for 20//1 Cc11/11ry Art 111 tire Mclrol'olitmr Museum of Ari, N,,,, Y.1rk.
Group Exhibitions Rol>erl Colt-sco/1 ltas bee11 included i11 over one 111111dn:d and sixty-eiglrt grou11 cx/ribitio11s bchvcC'n 1950 a11d 1996, many of which /rave traveled to ve11ues w1t/1i11 lite United Slates, Japan, Brilish Columbta, mrd Fraucc.
falling A1mrt Cmrcq,twtlly, 1987, ch.1rcu.1I on p.1pcr 60 x 42
Public Collectlons srfrd.-d
1925
Solo Exhibitions
Sims, Lowery S.. "Bob ColL>scolt Ain't Just Misbchavin" Ar/forum, March 1984, cover, pp 56-59.
"I was brought up to make paintings that were important visually. with an internal struc ture and rhythm that grabs peo ple, surprises them, and moves them, like Duke Ellington. It is
Biography
1997 First African-American artist to n:prcsc11t tire Umted Stalt'S ill a solo cxlribilio11 at the Ve11iCl:' BiC'mrale. 1990 Elldowed Regc11t's Professorship i11 Fiue Aris, al'l'oi11ted by Rrge11ts of tire Uuivcrsity of Arizoua, May, 1990 1988 "Robert Co/c:sco/1 Day, December 2, 1988.� Houston TX, officially dt·clan:d by Her Horror Katlmne B. Wltilmrre, Mayor of Houston. 1987 Roswell Fou11datio11 Artist's Residency, Roswell, NM. 1985 Jo/r11 Simon G11gge11lrei111 Memorra/ Fo111rdntio11 Graul for Paiuli11g aud Drawiug. 1983 Nalimra/ Endowment for tire Arts Grants ftw Cn.'lltive Painting. 1980 National Endmomcut for the Arts Grauts for Cm1tivc Pamtirrg. 1976 Nalwua/ E11dmo111ent for the Arts Gra11ts for Creative Paiuting.