Despite the popularity of Abstract Expressionism and Minimalism, many American artists remained committed to figural representation—with a critical edge.
1945–1980 C.E.
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Hughie Lee-Smith, The Walls
Lee-Smith paints a world in decay, but despite the bleak atmosphere, the artist still includes symbols of hope.
Archibald John Motley Jr., Bronzeville at Night
Motley paints the bustling nightlife of Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood, once one of the foremost centers of Black cultural life.
Nitza Tufiño, Pareja Taína (Taíno Couple)
Taíno iconography is cleverly incorporated throughout Tufiño's painting of a couple.
Philip Guston: the restless artist painting everyday evil
Throughout Guston's career, his work captures a sense of restlessness and a willingness to change.
Brummett Echohawk, An Island of Redbuds on the Cimarron
Light and color take center stage in this soul illustration of the Oklahoma landscape where Echohawk and his family have lived for generations.
Ruthe Blalock Jones, Medicine Woman
Bright red fringe, a pheasant and macaw feather fan, trade blankets—these meticulous details shine in this painting of a member of the Native American Church.
Romare Bearden, Three Folk Musicians
An abstract painting, a collage, three musicians, two guitars and a banjo.
Lin Tianmiao on Alex Katz’s Black and Brown Blouse
"He enlarges private life and makes it public, catching the most touching, the most revealing, the most hidden moment ..."
