Shorty George 1943

Norman Lewis drew 'Shorty George' in 1943, a lithograph of a man against a brick wall. I wonder who he was and what he was thinking. Was he just resting or waiting for someone? Lewis captured him in charcoal tones with lots of cross-hatching, especially around the brim of his hat and along the brick wall, giving a great sense of depth and texture. I imagine Lewis's hand moving, creating a sense of intimacy and immediacy. The image is cropped, so the figure hovers ambiguously between isolation and connection. And that face! He looks like a man with a secret. Lewis started out doing figurative work before moving into abstraction. I can see both here in this work. It reminds me of Jacob Lawrence and his powerful depictions of everyday life, particularly how both of them have this strong sense of social consciousness. The way he plays with light and shadow reminds me that we’re all always in conversation with each other. Painting is about exchange, embracing uncertainty and ambiguity, and always open to interpretation.