Street to Mbari 1964

Jacob Lawrence made this gouache on paper, called 'Street to Mbari', and it bursts with figures and shapes rendered in blue, black, tan, and gold. I imagine Lawrence layering these flat planes of color, each choice informing the next, as the scene comes into view. I’m picturing Lawrence deep in thought, considering how each color affects the mood. The deep blues could be a nod to the clothing worn by the men, or maybe the weight of the goods they are carrying. Look how the composition pulls your eye upward, toward the mountain of figures and the ochre sky. Doesn't it make you think of Diego Rivera, or maybe even some of the Italian futurists? You get a sense that we are all in the same boat, pushing painting forward. Painting is a conversation, an echo through time. Each artist builds upon the others, remixing and reimagining the language of color and form.