Black Jack 1964

Curator: Welcome. Before us is "Black Jack," a 1964 painting by Howard Mehring. Mehring was a key figure in the Washington Color School movement, known for its abstract, geometric compositions and vibrant color palettes. Editor: My first impression is the strength of the pattern, those striking vertical blocks command your immediate attention. There's also a subtle textured field in the red ground. The dark bars contain those fields, so they stand up like guards on each side. Curator: It is definitely a statement. The work embodies the hard-edge painting style of the time, characterized by precise lines and flat planes of color. Considering the racial tensions simmering during that period, does the title "Black Jack," juxtaposed with these imposing dark bars, evoke a commentary on racial segregation or barriers? Editor: Interesting observation. Perhaps the color fields invoke something coded—an icon or emblem relating to broader social commentary of the era? Thinking of other art forms, like protest banners or abstract revolutionary symbols. The "Black Jack" reference—is there another coded symbol at play in the American psyche, some lost piece of cultural history embedded here? Curator: It’s an important consideration when grappling with abstract works. Color-Field painters are often seen as divorced from socio-political concerns. However, Mehring and his contemporaries were inevitably shaped by the climate in Washington D.C., which was grappling with civil rights issues and political upheaval. The interplay between title and abstract forms can act as a window onto these issues, demanding that we see the work as something more than pure aesthetics. Editor: Perhaps even a meditation on boundaries—a prevalent symbol of division, literally framed on canvas? Thank you, those interpretive lenses encourage seeing beyond formalism and consider embedded cultural meaning. Curator: I hope we provided insights for you all. Editor: A worthwhile exchange, encouraging broader engagement with art history.