Cantata 1933

Norman Lewis made this painting, Cantata, by layering delicate marks and subtle tones to create something between representation and pure abstraction. Up close, you can see how the canvas is built up with thin washes of color. The dark background almost feels like a night sky, pricked with tiny lights. Lewis’s marks dance and flicker across the surface, like musical notes on a staff. Look how the white lines seem to float above the darker areas. This gives the whole image a sense of depth and movement. It’s like he’s captured the feeling of a jazz improvisation, where different instruments weave in and out of each other. There is a conversation here with someone like Mark Tobey, who explored similar territory. But Lewis brings his own voice, rooted in the Black experience, to the conversation. Ultimately, it’s a painting that celebrates the freedom of expression and the endless possibilities of art.