And it Shall be Said in That Day c. 1934

Joseph E. Bolden made this artwork called 'And it Shall be Said in That Day' with graphite on paper. The marks are so delicate and layered that you can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the page. I imagine Bolden in his studio, hunched over the paper, carefully building up tones and textures with the graphite, each stroke a decision, an exploration. The figures rising up into the air with their hands stretched towards the sky! You can see the influence of the Regionalist movement, with its focus on depicting everyday life and American themes. I wonder if he was also looking at the work of artists like Thomas Hart Benton or Grant Wood. It’s like they're all in conversation with each other, exploring different ways of representing the American experience, sharing ideas and techniques. Ultimately, it’s about how we connect with each other through art, finding new ways of seeing and experiencing the world.