Wall Forest 

Sam Gilliam’s "Wall Forest" invites a deep consideration of materiality and form. Gilliam emerged during the Civil Rights Movement, and became known for his deconstructed canvases. Breaking from traditional painting, Gilliam freed the canvas from its frame. Here, he suspends the painted fabric, challenging our expectations of what a painting can be. "Wall Forest" becomes an object, existing between painting and sculpture. The work’s draped form and the vibrant colors evoke a sense of fluidity and movement, like light filtering through a dense forest canopy. Gilliam’s process involves staining the canvas, folding, and crumpling it, creating unpredictable patterns and textures. This technique reflects a desire to disrupt established norms and embrace chance. Gilliam once said, "The idea is to keep opening it up, opening it up, opening it up." "Wall Forest" invites us to reconsider the boundaries of art and embrace the beauty of transformation and spontaneity.