Going to Church 1986

Clementine Hunter made this painting, 'Going to Church', with oil on canvas. I love the way Clementine applied the paint, it’s so assured and joyful. The bodies move as blocks of color, each figure is an individual with their Sunday best. Look how she repeats forms—the arched windows of the church rhyme with the domed tree tops. It feels like she’s singing through vision! What do you think Clementine was thinking as she built up the painting? You know, when you’re painting something you’ve seen a million times, you’re really painting a memory. Maybe she's capturing the feeling of community and togetherness that’s so uplifting. The way Clementine Hunter painted feels like a conversation with artists like Horace Pippin or Bill Traylor. Outsider artists often find ways of depicting the world that have such sincerity and directness. There’s a confidence in how they approach a painting that allows for multiple interpretations and meanings.