Created by
Gentry, Herbert Alexander, American, 1919 - 2003
Date
1993
Medium
acrylic on canvas
Dimensions
H x W x D (framed): 33 3/4 × 27 11/16 × 1 9/16 in. (85.8 × 70.3 × 3.9 cm)
H x W (unframed): 12 5/8 × 10 1/4 in. (32 × 26 cm)
Caption
"I work with my subconscious…. The figures come into it, the faces come into my work, that I don’t calculate to be the types that appear, but they are the types that I’ve met in my life. My base is African American also it’s in my paintings the people I’ve met throughout the world, American, African American … who are my friends who actually I love and we’ve done things together so this appears in my work." - Herbert Gentry
The compositional structure of Ceremony is deeply indebted to Herbert Gentry’s connection with COBRA, a loosely organized, avant-garde, mid-20th-century European artist collective. The acronym derives from the artists’ cities: Copenhagen, Brussels, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam. Members were inspired by "primitive" European art forms and children’s art in their quest to form a new aesthetic philosophy that promoted the creation of free-associative art.
Description
This expressionist painting juxtaposes faces and masks. The frontal facial views and profiles are delineated by swirling brush strokes in shades of red and orange with blue, white, and purple accents. There is a large frontal facial image at the center top margin flanked by two profiles. There is another facial profile at the center right and a fourth abstract face at the bottom center. It is signed on the bottom right by the artist.
Classification
Visual Arts
Type
acrylic paintings
Topic
Art
Identity
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Ronald and Monique Ollie in memory of Thelma and Bert Ollie
Object number
2010.67ab
Restrictions & Rights
© Estate of Herbert Gentry
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd55162c710-e61b-4f22-af47-58b60d860d23

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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