Accession Number
1997/1.149

Title
Untitled

Artist(s)
James Brown

Artist Nationality
American (North American)

Object Creation Date
1952-1997

Medium & Support
acrylic on paper

Dimensions
47 3/8 in x 40 in (120.33 cm x 101.6 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of the Lannan Foundation in Honor of the Pelham Family

Subject matter
This portrait, like much of Brown's work, bears affinities to Jean-Michel Basquiat and East Village painting of the 1980s.  Much of Brown's work has been abstract or semi-figurative; his depictions of people are often similar to this painting- flat with narrow eyes, a flat nose, and oval shaped lips. James Brown was born in California, and received his BFA from Immaculate Heart College, Hollywood. After college, Brown moved to Paris and then began exhibiting in New York in the 1980s. In 1995, Brown and his growing family moved to Mexico where he and his wife (artist, Alexandra Condon) made rugs and books, using traditional Mexican methods.  Brown and Condon started Carpe Diem Press while living in Oaxaca, Mexico. 

Physical Description
This is portrait of a black man from the shoulders up, against a light blue background. His features are only summarily indicated and his hair looks like a light bluehead covering with red dots and spikes and a green outline.

Primary Object Classification
Painting

Primary Object Type
portrait

Collection Area
Modern and Contemporary

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.

Keywords
Figures
bust-length
figures (representations)
head
heads (animal components)
modern and contemporary art
portraits