YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – A significant aspect of a painting by the late Sam Gilliam that is now being exhibited at The Butler Institute of American Art lies in the way it is displayed.
The massive abstract painting is not confined to a frame. Instead, the canvas – approximately 20 foot by 16 foot – flows downward from a point on the wall, together at its highest point then spreading out as though it has arms, with the bottom part gathering together on the flat surface at its base.
It is a hallmark of the late artist.
Gilliam created many pieces in this style, which came to be known as his Drape paintings because of the resemblance. The Abstract Expressionism pieces were designed to be exhibited in this unique way, adding to their impact.
Gilliam’s piece, titled “Mars at Angles,” is one of many in The Butler’s “Spark of Genius: Legacy & Lineage, African American Art from the Butler” exhibition, which opened Sunday.
The artists, each among the nation’s elite, include John Wilson, Elizabeth Catlett, D. Norman Tillman, Horace Pippin and Romare Bearden, and sculptor Richard Hunt, are also part of the show.
A few pieces by nationally known artists who hailed from northeastern Ohio – Alfred Bright, Bill Dotson and Maple Turner III – are also present.
The exhibition is in the Finnegan/Hynes gallery, a unique and brightly lit space with high walls that make it ideal for the Gilliam piece.
It was curated by Dee Banks, who is a Mahoning Valley-based doctor and a Butler trustee.
Each piece is part of The Butler’s permanent collection.
The works Banks selected are not bounded by style, era or place.
“I approached it not as a singular narrative but as a constellation of stories and expressions drawn from [The Butler’s] extraordinary collection,” Banks wrote in her curator’s statement. “African American art cannot be confined to one theme, aesthetic or historical moment. It spans generations, geographies and mediums, each piece contributing to a broader dialogue about identity, memory, resistance, joy and spirituality.”
The Gilliam piece had never been exhibited before at The Butler, and Banks is excited to bring it to light.
She had met Gilliam years ago. Her former husband, the late Alfred Bright, was a friend of Gilliam.
“[Gilliam] was famous for taking the canvas off the frame and then painting on it,” she said. “The way ‘Mars at Angles’ is displayed is typical Sam Gilliam. That’s the uniqueness of him – plus all of the colors.”
The artwork had been rolled up and kept in the museum’s climate-controlled storage area. When the piece was unrolled, a conservator brought in to assess its condition found it to be undamaged and not requiring repairs.
“It is in imposto [painting technique], which is a heavy use of paint, and it can crack over time,” Banks said. “When we opened it, we didn’t know if the paint would fall on the floor. You just don’t know how it’s going to react.”
Gilliam’s work is known on an international level, she said. “He is a well respected American artist, and the first African American to have work in the Venice Biennale,” Banks said. “For The Butler to have this painting is a treasure.”
The painting was acquired by The Butler years ago under the guidance of Louis Zona, the longtime former executive director of the museum.
Pictured at top: The pieces in the “Spark of Genius” exhibition at The Butler Institute of American Art are arranged in Salon style.