People Celebrating1990s49 × 34 1/2 × 5"Mixed media on woodGift of Gordon W. Bailey, in honor of Anne-Imelda Radice2012.19.301551274560Purvis YoungPaintingsUnited StatesFloridaThree Dimensional WorksInspired by the protest art he witnessed during the turbulent 1960s and by works of the masters he saw illustrated in discarded books, Purvis Young chronicled a personal view of Overtown, his Miami, Florida neighborhood, which reached far beyond the confines of place and time. Many of his early artworks, which were rendered on castoff materials (principally wood panels), became parts of his now-legendary Good Bread Alley mural, a coherent ensemble that covered the facades of abandoned buildings on a block once known for its Caribbean bakeries. The captivating display drew the attention of important collectors, including Dr. Bernard Davis, the former owner of the Miami Museum of Art, and launched Young's career. According to noted scholar and collector Gordon W. Bailey, "Purvis lived to create; he was astonishingly prolific. Motivated by his desire to effect social change, he used his considerable gifts to document the disparity he witnessed and to inspire others to rise above their unfortunate circumstances. Purvis was an urban expressionist, completely committed to his muse—his community. His best works are infused with a near-kinetic energy. You can practically hear his cityscapes and the festive sounds of commotion." In People Celebrating, Young's inventive framing adds depth to the exuberant central scene where a joyful motion is created by the bright colors and repeated sinuous calligraphic lines of the silhouettes—both hallmarks of Young's unique artistic signature.
Valérie Rousseau, “People Celebrating,” exhibition label for Self-Taught Genius: Treasures from the American Folk Art Museum. Stacy C. Hollander and Valérie Rousseau, curators. New York: American Folk Art Museum, 2014. Object information is a work in progress and may be updated with new research. Records are reviewed and revised, and the American Folk Art Museum welcomes additional information. To help improve this record, please email photoservices@folkartmuseum.orgJoyful motion, bright colors, and the three-dimensionality of the wood and other materials are apparent in this work by Purvis Young. His art chronicles a very personal view of the world and Overtown, his Miami neighborhood. However, his art reaches far beyond any confines of place and time. Many of his works would become part of his Good Bread Alley mural (1971), a powerful and coherent work stretching across many facades of abandoned buildings on a block once known for its popular Caribbean bakeries. Young drew some inspiration from the Chicago Wall of Respect, also painted by young African American mural artists but with a different painting style. His work and his voice are singular.Object information is a work in progress and may be updated with new research. Records are reviewed and revised, and the American Folk Art Museum welcomes additional information. To help improve this record, please email photoservices@folkartmuseum.org19901999 2012 19 3 Inspired by the protest art he witnessed during the turbulent 1960s and by works of the masters he saw illustrated in discarded books, Purvis Young chronicled a personal view of Overtown, his Miami, Florida neighborhood, which reached far beyond the confines of place and time. Many of his early artworks, which were rendered on castoff materials (principally wood panels), became parts of his now-legendary Good Bread Alley mural, a coherent ensemble that covered the facades of abandoned buildings on a block once known for its Caribbean bakeries. The captivating display drew the attention of important collectors, including Dr. Bernard Davis, the former owner of the Miami Museum of Art, and launched Young's career. According to noted scholar and collector Gordon W. Bailey, "Purvis lived to create; he was astonishingly prolific. Motivated by his desire to effect social change, he used his considerable gifts to document the disparity he witnessed and to inspire others to rise above their unfortunate circumstances. Purvis was an urban expressionist, completely committed to his muse—his community. His best works are infused with a near-kinetic energy. You can practically hear his cityscapes and the festive sounds of commotion." In People Celebrating, Young's inventive framing adds depth to the exuberant central scene where a joyful motion is created by the bright colors and repeated sinuous calligraphic lines of the silhouettes—both hallmarks of Young's unique artistic signature.
Valérie Rousseau, “People Celebrating,” exhibition label for Self-Taught Genius: Treasures from the American Folk Art Museum. Stacy C. Hollander and Valérie Rousseau, curators. New York: American Folk Art Museum, 2014. Object information is a work in progress and may be updated with new research. Records are reviewed and revised, and the American Folk Art Museum welcomes additional information. To help improve this record, please email photoservices@folkartmuseum.orgJoyful motion, bright colors, and the three-dimensionality of the wood and other materials are apparent in this work by Purvis Young. His art chronicles a very personal view of the world and Overtown, his Miami neighborhood. However, his art reaches far beyond any confines of place and time. Many of his works would become part of his Good Bread Alley mural (1971), a powerful and coherent work stretching across many facades of abandoned buildings on a block once known for its popular Caribbean bakeries. Young drew some inspiration from the Chicago Wall of Respect, also painted by young African American mural artists but with a different painting style. His work and his voice are singular.Object information is a work in progress and may be updated with new research. Records are reviewed and revised, and the American Folk Art Museum welcomes additional information. To help improve this record, please email photoservices@folkartmuseum.org