Rico Gatson's 'Icons' Exhibition at Studio Museum in Harlem Features Celebrated African American Figures

From April 20 to August 27, 2017, the Studio Museum in Harlem showcased Rico Gatson's exhibition titled 'Icons 2007-2017,' under the curation of Hallie Ringle. This exhibition included 28 paper works that portrayed notable African Americans such as Chuck Berry, James Baldwin, Angela Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, and Amiri Baraka. Gatson employed a technique that minimized photographic images in relation to the paper, accentuated by hand-drawn lines in colored pencil and marker. His visual approach drew inspiration from Sol LeWitt and iconic album covers. In contrast to Warhol's portrayal of celebrity detachment, Gatson's art expressed deep reverence and emotional depth. The museum was situated at 144 W 125th Street at Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard in New York City.