Ed Clark Retrospective at Turner Contemporary Focuses on Formal Development Over Biography

An exhibition celebrating the legacy of Ed Clark, the African American abstract artist who passed away in 2019, is currently displayed at Turner Contemporary in Margate, running from 25 May to 1 September. This showcase highlights Clark's artistic progression, particularly his use of the push broom, which he began employing in 1956. His earlier piece, Blacklash (1964), illustrates the broom's contrasting feelings of excitement and fear. Clark's method involved laying canvases on the floor, similar to Jackson Pollock's style. Works from the 1970s and early 1980s, including Ife Rose (1974) and Blue Umber (1975), demonstrate a transition towards geometric accuracy. The retrospective focuses on formal evolution, steering clear of postwar personal narratives.