Through Aug 2
MoMA
Jack Whitten, born in 1939 in Bessemer, Alabama, transformed righteous anger into visionary beauty through his multifaceted artistic practice. Emerging from the upheavals of the segregated South and the Civil Rights movement, Whitten relocated to New York in 1960 and embarked on a groundbreaking career that spanned six decades and multiple media.
His inventive art-making techniques utilized diverse materials and tools such as experimental acrylic paints, Afro-combs, and electrostatic printing—creating new processes that meld technological innovation with cultural commentary. Whitten’s work confronts themes of race, technology, jazz, love, and war, offering a unique, abstract visual language that challenged the expectations of activist art tied to representation.
From the ethereal blurs of his 1970s floor-paintings to the mosaic-like tesserae paintings of the 1990s, and sculptures fusing African traditions with Mediterranean and contemporary influences, Whitten’s oeuvre serves as a conduit for history and spirit. Describing himself as a messenger, his art resonated with a profound commitment to materiality and meaning, inviting viewers into a deeply personal yet universally resonant dialogue.
This retrospective at MoMA is the first exhaustive survey of Whitten’s career, featuring over 175 paintings, sculptures, and works on paper that illuminate his pioneering role in American art.
