Jitterbugs (II) 1941

William H. Johnson made 'Jitterbugs (II)' with simple shapes, but oh boy, does it swing! I can almost feel his hand moving as he laid down those blocks of bright yellow and orange. The way he flattens the forms and simplifies the figures reminds me of a folk-art sensibility. I love how he fearlessly mixes colors. It’s like he's saying, "Let's throw caution to the wind and just go for it!" I wonder if Johnson was listening to jazz while he was making this. The painting feels like music visualized, the figures leaning into one another like a saxophone solo. The orange instruments seem to mimic the bodies and their embrace. Those vertical stripes are really working overtime, giving the impression of a dancefloor and even bars of music. I think it's amazing how artists can condense so much into so little.