Purvis Young, a Black American born in Florida, lived through Miami’s 1960s race riots, was personally affected by the Civil Rights Movement, and the embodiments of the Black Power struggle. As an artist and as a citizen, he along with others in Miami, had major grievances, including deplorable housing conditions, economic exploitations, bleak employment prospects, racial discriminations, and poor police-community relations. Purvis Young unequivocally expressed societal and racial issues, serving as an early activist through his art – thoughtfully dissecting politics and bureaucracy. Originally labeled as an Outsider artist for his lack of formal art education, Contemporary collectors now consider him a pioneer and early forefather to the Street Art movement. He utilized a new type of urban storytelling, employing a graphic tale that is unique, fresh, and raw - often coined Urban or Social Expressionism.

In "Submission + Authority", primitive renditions of people on horses, marchers, and troopers are on the move, aligning and realigning; engaged in civil disobedience. Our mind’s eye makes out the metaphysical struggles of a people, of poverty, and systematic strain. A painting mostly of monochromatic earth tones is accented by black and red markings.

Purvis Young (1943 - 2010)

"Submission + Authority" | Drawing from the 1990's #428

Acrylic paint and Ink on paper

11 x 8.25 in

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