Portrait of a Curator (in Memory of Beryl Wright) 2009

Curator: This is Kerry James Marshall's "Portrait of a Curator (in Memory of Beryl Wright)," painted in 2009. Editor: What a striking figure. The velvety black skin is captivating, and then contrasted with that pristine white jacket. There's a moodiness there, a sort of quiet intensity. Curator: Absolutely. Marshall is known for his use of black pigment to depict Black figures, challenging traditional art historical representations. We have here the application of acrylic paint on canvas which serves the project of centering blackness and the social conditions for doing so in institutional space. The contrast you noticed plays into this as the white jacket and neutral-toned interior spaces emphasize the curator’s role. Editor: And those geometric patterns on the jacket's lapels...it's an unexpected touch, bringing in elements of design, craft even. Reminds me a bit of patterned textiles in domestic spaces. There is a really cool turtle sculpture in the corner. Curator: Exactly, Marshall frequently blurs the lines between "high" art and craft traditions. Those lapels integrate pattern and color in order to ask where "Art" begins and ends. This is all done very deliberately using acrylic which Marshall argues references everyday and “ordinary” labor—signifying what he calls “vernacular abstraction.” Editor: The yellow tulip adds another layer, doesn't it? Such a vibrant splash of color in an otherwise muted scene. Flowers can often symbolize a fleeting beauty or recognition, like in a funeral. A curator with taste! Is it a portrait or a homage? Curator: Given the subtitle “in Memory of Beryl Wright” the intention seems like the latter! Given Marshall’s commitment to his artistic practice as a cultural, labor practice and its importance in preserving black artists, this is one artist paying respects to another without ignoring that labor. He uses domestic symbolism, flat acrylic paint, and other painterly strategies to emphasize that art like curation, too, is built from social labor. Editor: It's a powerful reminder of the importance of the arts, and remembering the importance of supporting institutions like curation—and each other in building that support. A complex picture, one that lingers. Curator: Indeed. It prompts us to reconsider our assumptions about value and labor within art itself. It also points towards the important act of collective memory within creative spaces.