Black Christ on Cross 1972

Clementine Hunter made this painting, Black Christ on Cross, with paint on board, and there’s something so direct about the way she applies the paint, like each stroke is a thought made visible. Looking closely, you can see how the paint is laid down in simple, confident gestures. There’s a real physicality to it; the texture isn’t smoothed over, it's like she’s letting the material speak. The colour palette is pared back, with the stark contrast of black against the white cross and angels, and the earthy browns below. The blood, painted as simple drips of red at Christ’s extremities, feels so raw and immediate. It’s this very directness that gives the painting its emotional punch. It puts me in mind of Bill Traylor, another artist working outside the mainstream, who found a similar way to cut through to the heart of things. What stays with me is the simplicity and force of this piece, how it embraces ambiguity and holds space for our different ways of seeing.