Drawing Center Hosts Posthumous Pope.L Survey "Certainly an Act: Works on Paper"
Soho's The Drawing Center is currently hosting "Certainly an Act: Works on Paper by Pope.L," which pays tribute to the late interdisciplinary artist. This is the Center's 162nd exhibition, organized in partnership with the Black Art Library from Detroit. A highlight is the piece "Portrait a.k.a. The American Dream Is to Be Able to Think" (1989–90), featuring a headless, eyeless figure made with acrylic, oil pastel, marker, pencil, and tape. The artwork relates to Ralph Ellison's 1952 novel Invisible Man, tackling the racial complexities of the American Dream, especially relevant during the nation’s 250th birthday. Visitors can also find two walls filled with books: one showcasing 161 previous exhibition catalogs and the other spotlighting this current show. The wall text mentions that for Pope.L, drawing was a way of conceptualizing the world. The reviewer, new to Pope.L’s work, experienced the exhibition on a lovely August day. Photography is by Chanelle Chevelle Russell for Hyperallergic.
Key facts
- "Certainly an Act: Works on Paper by Pope.L" is a posthumous exhibition at the Drawing Center in Soho
- It is the Drawing Center's 162nd exhibition and is presented in partnership with the Detroit-based Black Art Library
- The show includes Pope.L's "Portrait a.k.a. The American Dream Is to Be Able to Think" (1989–90), made with acrylic, oil pastel, marker, pencil, and tape
- The painting depicts a headless, eyeless man and is compared to Ralph Ellison's 1952 novel Invisible Man
- Two walls of books greet visitors: an archive of 161 previous Drawing Center catalogues and a Black Art Library display
- The Black Art Library display includes names such as Zora Neale Hurston and Faith Ringgold
- Exhibition wall text states that for Pope.L, "drawing was never merely a medium but a mode of thinking about the world"
- The reviewer visited the exhibition on a breezy August afternoon; photographs are by Chanelle Chevelle Russell for Hyperallergic
Entities
Artists
- Pope.L
- Ralph Ellison
- Zora Neale Hurston
- Faith Ringgold
- Chanelle Chevelle Russell
Institutions
- Drawing Center
- Black Art Library
- Hyperallergic
Locations
- Soho
- New York
- United States
- Detroit
- Michigan