Nat Turner 1945

William H. Johnson made this painting, Nat Turner, with thick, matte strokes of tempera on board. I imagine him bent over, pushing the paint around with urgency. Look how the crosses in the background seem to repeat and multiply. They evoke the weight of history. Then there’s the striking pink tree, so bright it almost feels like a defiant act. It reminds me of how Bob Thompson would take history paintings and then twist and turn them into a personal language. I wonder what Johnson thought about as he placed those colors next to each other, that soft yellow line against the bright pink. I imagine a dialogue, one that takes place not just with himself, but with other artists across time and place. He lays down his mark. Painting is just that, a conversation between the artist, the materials, and the world. And it’s never really finished, is it? It keeps shifting and opening up new possibilities.