Horses Upside Down 1998

Curator: Sam Gilliam created this mixed-media piece, "Horses Upside Down," in 1998. Gilliam's work often explores the boundaries of abstract expressionism and color field painting. What strikes you most when you look at it? Editor: Chaos, but beautiful chaos, like a hurricane seen from space. It’s raw emotion splattered across the canvas, a snapshot of pure, unfiltered feeling. There is a feeling of great energy in the movement, the streaks and splashes of color. Curator: Gilliam was very involved with the Washington Color School. Here, you see that color is used less to describe form, and more as the subject itself. Also, look at the interesting surface—it appears as if separate painted canvases were affixed together. Editor: It’s intriguing, this puzzle of textures and hues, very fauvist indeed. The title hints at a narrative, something topsy-turvy. It's almost like trying to piece together a memory. I imagine what it was like in Gilliam's studio when he created it. The creative fury... Curator: His career developed at an interesting point for African-American abstract artists. They faced considerable obstacles, sometimes overlooked in favor of work with more obvious social commentary. This piece shows us the pure freedom of abstraction and, through that, perhaps hints at the idea of political freedom as well. Editor: Freedom… yes! That resonates. And this makes me see how vital abstraction can be, giving voice to experiences and emotions words cannot reach. It’s not about what it depicts but what it evokes. Curator: Exactly! This piece pushes the idea of abstraction and surface that developed through Abstract Expressionism in new directions. He moves beyond pure gestural abstraction to create these assemblages with layered surfaces and complex color combinations. Editor: Looking at this painting again makes me reflect on the transformative power of art. Even upside down, horses—or, in this case, vibrant abstractions—can show us new perspectives and the boundless depths of human expression. Curator: Agreed. Gilliam invites us to reconsider how we perceive abstract art and its place in social history. Editor: A visual symphony of freedom and complexity... "Horses Upside Down," a title I'll not soon forget!