Casey and Mae in the Street 1948

Archibald Motley has given us this party scene, “Casey and Mae in the Street,” layered with hues of twilight blues, streetlamp yellows, and shades of rouge. You can almost feel the heat of the crowd, their arms gesturing in a raucous rhythm. I imagine Motley, caught up in the thrill of the jazz age, layering oil paint on the canvas. This scene emerges from a period of cultural blossoming. I wonder if he was thinking about the contrast between the quiet, watchful figures in the windows and the dancers? Notice that the paint isn't thick, but transparent, as if the artist is searching for depth. The way Motley paints, so fluid, so alive, reminds me of Romare Bearden, another artist who captured the essence of community. Each figure seems to have a personal story; their presence and pose speaks to their mood. What would it be like to exist in this painting? The streetlamp casts a vibrant, living light, and the architecture creates an urban theater. It’s a stage for human interaction. I see paintings as sites of questions rather than answers, and Motley has gifted us a space that makes room for many interpretations.