The Importance of Being Figurative

The excitement surrounding Director Ryan Coogler’s film Black Panther also has the art world examining the themes and subtexts in black comic books and illustrated novels.

This October, the world’s second oldest art biennial – The Carnegie International –  will open in Pittsburgh featuring an impressive list of 32 contemporary artists in film, literature, visual arts.

And Comics.

Nearly 20 years after his Rhythm Mastr illustrated series was exhibited at the 1999/2000 Carnegie International, Artist Kerry James Marshall will re-introduce his ‘superhero’ – a character he created to confront the issues in the neighborhood surrounding his Chicago studio: gang violence, the consequences of high rise public housing and impending gentrification. It also gave Marshall the chance to talk about the conflicts between tradition and modernity.

A master in figurative work,  Marshall deliberately chose not to present his hero in muscle-bound tights and a cape.  “It’s another thing to put them in context where they matter.  A lot of black superheroes just ended up fighting crime.  So the underlying concern of my story was the legendary struggle for the souls of black folks, to borrow a phrase from (NAACP founder) W.E.B. DuBois.”

Listen to Kerry James Marshall  talk about his illustrations and “The Importance of Being Figurative” at the 19th Annual Elson Lecture, National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.