Double Dutch 1984

Varnette Honeywood made "Double Dutch" with bold shapes and bright colours. It has a flattened, collage-like feel to it, like the figures are cut from paper. Look at the colours Honeywood uses. They're not quite real, but they're full of life. And notice how the shapes create a sense of depth, even though the image is quite flat. The girls and the rope are simplified into geometric forms, almost abstract, but it still screams "playground." There’s something about the way that rope loops that reminds me of Matisse's cut-outs, like a dance between form and space. It's playful, confident, and full of rhythm, just like a game of double dutch itself. It is about motion but is caught still in paint. These are people who are not able to move, but only seem to. It reminds me of the work of Jacob Lawrence, both artists share a similar interest in depicting everyday Black life with joy and dignity.