Iliad c. 1970

Romare Bearden’s ‘Iliad’ is a print, and feels like a stage set using color and shape. The blocky forms suggest a kind of cubist lens on the ancient world. The way Bearden uses color creates an atmosphere, a mood. The texture is smooth, but the layered colors suggest depth. The surface is mostly opaque, yet there are areas where the colors blend, creating a transparent effect, almost like watercolor. See how the reddish hues dominate the center, drawing your eye to the figures, while the cooler greens and blues frame the scene. That dark vertical mark to the right of the figure anchors the composition, but also adds an element of mystery. What’s behind that wall? Bearden’s work often draws on mythology, jazz, and African American history. He was collaging before it was cool. Think of Jacob Lawrence’s narrative panels; a similar sense of storytelling, but with a unique flavor. It is a reminder that art isn’t about answers. It’s about questions.