Black Star 2 2012

Kerry James Marshall made Black Star 2 without a specified date using what looks like acrylic on canvas. The figure, rendered in deep blacks, stands out against the geometric shapes of red, green, and black – colours that resonate with the Pan-African flag. Look closely, and you'll notice how Marshall plays with the surface, the paint is flat in some areas, allowing the figure to almost disappear into the black ground of the star. The neon outline of the green star creates a vibrating energy, almost pushing forward from the canvas. It reminds me of the way Frank Stella played with shape and colour, but with a completely different emotional resonance. This isn't just about form; it's about presence, about making Blackness visible in a world that often obscures it. Marshall's work continually asks us to reconsider art history, to see who is represented and who is not, and to expand our understanding of what painting can be.