Accession Number2002/1.202
TitleUps and Downs
Artist(s)Tyree GuytonArtist NationalityAmerican (North American)Object Creation Date1994Medium & Supportacrylic on masoniteDimensions 25 13/16 in x 49 3/4 in (65.56 cm x 126.37 cm);25 5/8 in x 49 5/8 in (65.09 cm x 126.05 cm)
Subject matterThis Detroit-based artist is most well-known for his large-scale installation called "The Heidelberg Project." In “Ups and Downs," two figures, one male and one female, confront the viewer with large smiles. This work was part of a large series of works that depict single and paired figures, called "Faces." The work's title was derived from the purple “tears” that drip down the face of the male figure and upwards on the female figure. Guyton is most interested in thinking about composition more broadly as "to form by putting together." The two gendered figures come together, with juxtaposing directional elements.
Physical DescriptionTwo abstracted, bust-length figures, one male and one female, look directly at the viewer with large smiles. The background is tan, and filled with swirling lines and scribbles. The face and eyes of each figure are outlined in thick green, the mouths in thick yellow. The “whites” of the eyes are red, while the pupils are circles of pale purple. Purple paint drips down from the eyes of the male figure, while the paint on the female figure drips upward.
Primary Object Classification Painting Primary Object TypeportraitCollection AreaModern and ContemporaryRightsIf you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit
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Keywords
Abstract (fine arts style)
African American
Figures
figures (representations)
folk art (traditional art)
found objects
men (male humans)
mouths
outsider art
tear (secretion)
women (female humans)