Inside Outside

Active for decades in the San Francisco Bay Area, the African-American painter Robert Colescott came to international prominence only recently when he represented the United States in the 1997 Venice Biennale. This large, classic canvas from the 1987 exemplifies Colescott’s raucous figurative style—with its boldly gestural handling of paint and vibrant coloration—and caustically ribald commentary on issues of race and sex in contemporary American society.

Colescott’s painting style reflects a wide-ranging set of influences and personal experiences, from childhood memories of Diego Rivera working on a mural at the 1938 International Exposition in San Francisco, to his art school training in Paris with Fernand Léger, and a sojourn to Egypt where he was impressed by the ancient narrative art tradition.