Carved Bobbin (Guru) 1935

Norman Lewis made this painting called ‘Carved Bobbin (Guru)’ using oil on board. It’s a small work, only 14 by 8 centimeters, and it feels pretty spontaneous to me. See how the paint seems to hug the surface? It’s not trying to trick you into thinking it’s anything other than paint. It's a celebration of color, like how he’s built up these deep blues and purples, and then zapped it with little bits of gold. It’s dark, but not somber. Check out the light on the figure's forehead, those tiny dashes of gold! It reminds me a bit of Jacob Lawrence, another Harlem Renaissance artist, in the way it balances social commentary with a real love for the materiality of paint. I love how it embraces the idea that art is an ongoing conversation, not a final statement. It makes you wonder, doesn't it? What is he saying?