Jack Whitten's First European Retrospective at Hamburger Bahnhof Celebrates Artistic Influences
From March 29 to September 1, 2019, the Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin presented the first European institutional retrospective of Jack Whitten, titled 'Jack's Jacks.' This exhibition, created in collaboration with Whitten prior to his passing in January 2018 at the age of seventy-eight, showcases his distinctive blend of influences. His early works tackle themes of racial violence, such as 'Head IV Lynching' (1964) and 'King's Wish (Martin Luther's Dream)' (1968). The piece 'Red, Black, Green' (1979–80) incorporates the colors of the pan-African flag. Later works, including 'Delacroix's Palette' (1974) and 'Norman Lewis Triptych I' (1985), pay homage to various artists. 'Bill's Way, For Bill de Kooning' (1990) reflects de Kooning’s color palette, while 'Apps for Obama' (2011) acknowledges figures like Gorky, Warhol, and Twombly.
Key facts
- Jack Whitten's first European institutional retrospective took place at Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin
- The exhibition 'Jack's Jacks' ran from March 29 to September 1, 2019
- Whitten died in January 2018 at age 78 before the show's opening
- Whitten was born in Alabama and moved to New York in 1960 to attend Cooper Union
- Early works address American racial violence, including 'Head IV Lynching' (1964)
- 'King's Wish (Martin Luther's Dream)' was painted in 1968, the year of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination
- The show features homages to artists like Norman Lewis, Bill de Kooning, and Andy Warhol
- Whitten also referenced musicians, athletes, and political figures including Barack Obama
Entities
Artists
- Jack Whitten
- Arshile Gorky
- Andy Warhol
- Cy Twombly
- Norman Lewis
- Bill de Kooning
- Eugène Delacroix
Institutions
- Hamburger Bahnhof
- Cooper Union
- ArtReview
Locations
- Berlin
- Germany
- Alabama
- United States
- New York