The Bassist

From the Artist

I began thinking about the subject, The Bassist,long before receiving the invitation to come do a print at Brandywine. When I was invited it gave me a chance to pursue this theme. I have done numerous sketches of men playing bass instruments at concerts, particularly at jazz events. The Bassistis one such image that came to fruition as I engaged in the execution of the various mylars that gave shape to this print. Beyond this, I have returned to the image in this print, the figure, with an experimental approach to color.
_{—From Brandywine Workshop and Archives records}

David Driskell (1931–2020) is recognized for his vibrant and versatile artistic practice rooted in his reverence for the beauty and spirituality of the American landscape and his profound connection to the African diaspora. His legacy in the history of American art is unparalleled: through his curatorial work, writing, and teaching, he demonstrated that the art of Black people is essential to the story of American art. Over six decades his use of collage as a painterly medium, his innovative figurative abstraction, and his signature incorporation of African forms evolved. Driskell’s command of color and line and attentiveness to “the symbolic presence of form” are showcased in his beloved subjects, including the natural world, abstraction, and the Black Christian church.
_{—Adapted fromhttps://www.phillipscollection.org/event/2021-10-16-exhibition-david-driskell, accessed 6-14-2021}