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Sam Gilliam More Prints

American, 1933-2022

Postwar American artist Sam Gilliam was an innovative Color Field painter and lyrical abstractionist perhaps best known for working directly on draped, unprimed canvases freed from their stretcher bars in as early as the mid-1960s.

Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Gilliam studied art at the University of Louisville, earning both undergraduate and graduate degrees in fine art. He moved to Washington, D.C., in 1962, where he became associated with the Washington Color School. Inspired by the vibrant hues of German Expressionism, Gilliam pushed the limits of his medium by eliminating the use of easels and stretchers. Instead, he painted on draped canvases suspended from the walls and the ceiling of his studio.

Overlooked at first, the resulting works, radiant and rippling with energy, would become universally recognized as a hallmark of Gilliam’s oeuvre. Later in his career, he would draw inspiration from jazz and textile artistry, creating improvisational collage-style “quilted” paintings on nylon or canvas that recall quilt patterns.

In 1972, Gilliam became the first Black artist to represent the United States at the Venice Biennale; he also exhibited at the 2017 Venice Biennale. His works can be found in more than 50 public collections around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Corcoran Gallery of Art (now the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design) in Washington, D.C., the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Paris Museum of Modern Art, among many others. Gilliam’s awards include the United States State Department Medal of Arts, the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship and more.

Find original Sam Gilliam prints and other art on 1stDibs.

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Artist: Sam Gilliam
RECITALS Signed Mixed Media Print, Abstract Collage, Rainbow Colors, Spirals
By Sam Gilliam
Located in Union City, NJ
RECITALS is mixed media limited edition print by the renowned African American artist Sam Gilliam, created using Archival Inkjet, Relief, and Stencil techniques. This vertical, rainb...
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RECITALS is mixed media limited edition print by the renowned African American artist Sam Gilliam, created using Archival Inkjet, Relief, and Stencil techniques. This vertical, rainbow colored, bold geometric composition presents the viewer with an abstract collage of circles, squares, spirals, textures, and translucent layers. The 3-D effect of Japanese washi tissue paper with spiral design lace overlaying the main shapes gives a sense of lightness and dimension. A subtle texture of woodgrain is discernible in the print margins, adding warmth. The glowing rainbow color area and large black and red violet textured spheres set an atmospheric, planetary feel beneath the semi-opaque lacy black and white squares. Print size - 38 x 20 inches, unframed, excellent condition, pencil signed, numbered, and titled by Sam Gilliam Edition size - 100 Year published - 2009 Sam Gilliam (1933-2022)was an American color field painter and lyrical abstractionist artist. Gilliam was associated with the Washington Color School, a group of Washington, D.C.-area artists that developed a form of abstract art from color field painting in the 1950s and 1960s. His works have also been described as belonging to abstract expressionism and lyrical abstraction. He worked on stretched, draped and wrapped canvas, and added sculptural 3D elements. He was recognized as the first artist to introduce the idea of a draped, painted canvas hanging without stretcher bars around 1965. This was a major contribution to the Color Field School...
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Sam Gilliam more prints for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Sam Gilliam more prints available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Sam Gilliam in screen print, dye, handmade paper and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the modern style. Not every interior allows for large Sam Gilliam more prints, so small editions measuring 20 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Lamar Briggs, Deborah Kass, and Mildred Howard. Sam Gilliam more prints prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $3,040 and tops out at $7,500, while the average work can sell for $6,000.
Questions About Sam Gilliam More Prints
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    American artist Sam Gilliam is best known for his contributions to the Washington Color School movement through his famed ‘drape paintings’. He is credited as being the first artist to engage with idea of a draped, painted canvas without stretcher bars during the 1960s. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of expertly-vetted Sam Gilliam pieces from some of the world’s top art dealers.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    African-American artist Sam Gilliam is considered a color field painter and a lyrical abstractionist. He is most well-known for his large works in the late 1960s and early 1970s, which featured painted canvases draped from walls and ceilings. On 1stDibs, find a variety of original artwork from top artists.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 30, 2024
    How much a Sam Gilliam painting is worth depends on its history, size, condition and other factors. In 2018, the artist’s acrylic on canvas painting Lady Day II sold for more than $2.1 million at auction in New York City. Postwar American artist Sam Gilliam was an innovative Color Field painter and lyrical abstractionist perhaps best known for working directly on draped, unprimed canvases freed from their stretcher bars as early as the mid-1960s. In 1972, Gilliam became the first Black artist to represent the United States at the Venice Biennale. If you own a Gilliam painting, a certified appraiser or experienced art dealer can assist you with the valuation process. Explore an assortment of Sam Gilliam art on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertAugust 15, 2024
    How much a Sam Gilliam painting is worth depends on its subject, condition and other factors. His 1971 painting Lady Day II was sold for over $2 million in an auction at Christie’s New York in 2018, setting a new record for the artist. The postwar American artist was an innovative Color Field painter and lyrical abstractionist, perhaps best known for working directly on draped, unprimed canvases freed from their stretcher bars as early as the mid-1960s. In 1972, he became the first Black artist to represent the United States at the Venice Biennale. If you own a Gilliam painting, a certified appraiser or knowledgeable art dealer can evaluate your piece and give you an estimate of its value. On 1stDibs, find a collection of Sam Gilliam art.

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