Past Times 1997

Editor: This is Kerry James Marshall's "Past Times" from 1997, an oil painting with a strong narrative quality. The figures, all Black, are engaged in leisure activities. What stands out to me is how carefully composed it is, almost staged. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a work deeply engaged with the social context of leisure and its representation. The meticulous painting process, the visible canvas, and the seemingly "flat" depiction of figures challenge traditional oil painting and its association with a certain class and history. Consider the labor involved in creating such a large-scale painting and the commentary this makes about accessibility and cultural representation. Editor: So, the deliberate flatness isn't just a stylistic choice; it's a statement about the historical exclusion of Black figures from traditional art spaces and artistic techniques? Curator: Precisely. Marshall isn't just depicting Black people at leisure; he is interrogating the means of production, the materiality of art, and its relationship to social power. He is subverting the tradition. Notice the banner's text—how does the integration of text change your understanding of art, work, and life depicted in the canvas? Editor: That’s insightful, highlighting the inherent connection between skill and the human experience, blurring the line between art and everyday living. The flatness of the figures creates a strong contrast to that narrative banner. Curator: Precisely. What materials are involved and how are they transformed and displayed? Editor: I didn’t consider the "how" so deeply. I guess it is easy to look only for the "what", as in subject or style. I appreciate learning that this painting can serve as a profound study of labor and cultural meaning embedded in its very construction.