Sam Gilliam was an artist known for his groundbreaking work in abstract paintings on draped canvas.
- Died: June 25, 2022 (Who else died on June 25?)
- Details of death: Died at his home in Washington, D.C. of renal failure at the age of 88.
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Painting meets sculpture
Gilliam studied art at the University of Louisville before serving in the U.S. Army in the 1950s. After his service, he taught high school art while also creating his own art. In the 1960s, Gilliam became the first artist to experiment with painting a canvas and displaying it draped, rather than stretched on a frame. His many draped paintings became his signature for the next decade, arranged hanging from ceilings, gathered in swaths, or bunched into shapes that straddled a line between painting and sculpture. In later years, Gilliam experimented with other styles, including collage, quilt-style paintings, and round tondo paintings. His art was displayed at venues including the Museum of Modern Art, and in 1972, he became the first Black artist to represent the U.S. at the Venice Biennale cultural exhibition. In 2022, a retrospective of Gilliam’s work opened at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C.
Gilliam on his drape paintings
“I gave it a chance—to use large solid forms like architecture coming from the wall, like in the series I called the “Carousels”, beginning in the late ’60s, which hang from the ceiling and imitate just a big circular movement.” —from a 2019 interview for the Brooklyn Rail
Tributes to Sam Gilliam
Full obituary: The New York Times
