Promised Land: The Art of Jacob Lawrence

This exhibition catalog showcases a diversity of works by Jacob Lawrence, one of the most prominent voices in the artistic portrayal of the African American experience. This diversity is seen in the media Lawrence experimented with, the various paintbrush and pencil styles he used and the number of pieces in each series of work. All these are strung together by the appearance of the black American. The consistent theme of the black experience in 20th century America reveals Lawrence’s experience growing up in Harlem and witnessing the civil rights movement in the 1960s. At the same time, Lawrence’s works are a celebration of labor and struggle and express his hope for a progressive and equal society. The exhibition at the Cantor first takes viewers through narratives about the African American struggle, told through multiple pieces of work. “The First Book of Moses, Called Genesis” is a series of eight silkscreen prints depicting the events of Creation, while “The Legend of John Brown” is a series of 22 silkscreen prints that explores the life of the controversial abolitionist. Both series were commissioned when their original painting versions became too fragile for display. What followed was a two-piece print titled “New York in Transit,” a replica of the mosaic mural Lawrence designed for display at Times Square Station in New York City. In a recognizable Lawrence style, “New York in Transit” is colorful, bold and bustling. What is unique about Lawrence, though, is his ability to pack multiple themes and narratives not only in series of works but in individual pieces as well. Using different combinations of watercolor, graphite, gouache and tempera, Lawrence conveys a backstory, a plot and his message all in a single piece.