Portrait of Julius Hemphill 1973

Oliver Lee Jackson created this artwork, Portrait of Julius Hemphill using mixed media on canvas. Jackson, who is still living, is an artist who has lived through some transformative moments for Black Americans. This portrait of Hemphill is far from a traditional likeness. Instead, Jackson has created a composition in grays, whites, and blacks, with only a vague figure present, centered on the left of the canvas. The small black dots covering the canvas remind me of stars in the night sky, in their multitudes and vastness. Jackson, coming from a Black Arts Movement sensibility, seeks to capture the spirit of Hemphill, an African American jazz composer and saxophonist. Jackson, while working abstractly, uses the figure as a focal point to explore themes of identity, race, and culture, rooted in lived experiences. The spiritual and emotional dimensions of the artwork make space for a powerful dialogue about representation and personhood.