Sac 2 2012

Curator: Here we have Sam Gilliam’s "Sac 2," created in 2012, a striking example of his draped paintings, rendered with mixed media and acrylic paint. Editor: It's so dynamic, isn’t it? At first glance, the vibrant colours exploding off the canvas…or should I say, defying the canvas. There’s something joyous and rebellious about it. Curator: Precisely! Note how the hard-edged geometric shapes both interact and contrast with each other. The colour relationships - that radiant red abutting a cool blue, for instance – they create a visual tension that’s quite palpable. This pushes Post-Impressionist boundaries. Editor: Do you think this rejection is a commentary about a desire to free art? Maybe an anti-establishment position for the black community at the time? This period followed the Civil Rights Movement. Curator: Without a doubt! It's deeply rooted in a conversation around race and power that the hard-edge movement subtly reinforced by attempting a purely intellectual space within artistic practice. Gilliam sought to break the frame, literally and figuratively. "Sac 2" reflects this socio-political ambition, dismantling the constraints historically imposed on African-American artists, by galleries and collectors alike. Editor: Interesting. When thinking about the composition, it makes you want to know, why did Gilliam use these particular shapes? The metallic sheen gives a theatrical or even regal character. Curator: The choice of materials significantly influences the effect of form. These materials reflect how institutions elevated the creative space in art, dictating acceptable or “genuine” media such as stone and precious gems. Editor: Fascinating. By examining "Sac 2" with that in mind, you notice its statement isn't merely aesthetic; the piece boldly asserts itself, both visually and conceptually. Curator: I’ve always thought it does, by recontextualizing hard-edge techniques and injecting them with a vibrant, expressive energy. Editor: It shifts from being just about shape and colour, to also becoming a symbol of defiance. Thank you! Curator: A pleasure. Indeed, there are many ways in.