The parts of the painting-the symbolism of the hood, the vacancy of the eyes-are crucial to the whole. As a painter, he was determined to express his view of the black experience through his unique abstract works of art.Īmerican Totem is a depiction of an American tragedy. Growing up there at the turn of the twentieth century. Norman Lewis was born in the Harlem area of New York City. Take a closer look, and you’ll find looser forms: a skull here, a mask there. One of the artist’s “Civil Rights” paintings, the piece depicts an abstracted totem representing a hooded member of the Ku Klux Klan. It’s beautiful, yes-and highly political. soft, eerily still yet rife with movement and suspense. The canvas evokes contrast from every angle: black vs.
It is one of Norman Lewis’ most iconic paintings. The painting has been discussed at length since its acquisition by the Whitney Museum this past spring. Image: Charles Moore.Īmerican Totem makes you linger. Norman Lewis, American Totem (1960) Franz Kline, Mahoning (1956).
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