David Driskell: The Artist Who Redefined American Art
David Driskell, one of the most influential North American artists, curators, and scholars of the 20th and early 21st centuries:
In the narrative of American art history, few figures have had an impact as profound and multifaceted as David Driskell (1931–2020). He was more than an artist—he was a curator, historian, teacher, and visionary who spent his life affirming a truth that the art world had long ignored: African American art is American art.
Through his vibrant paintings, groundbreaking exhibitions, and decades of scholarly work, Driskell helped carve out a permanent space for Black artists within national institutions, academic discourse, and public consciousness.
A Creative Life Rooted in Culture
Born in Eatonton, Georgia, and raised in North Carolina, David Driskell’s early life was steeped in the cultural traditions of the Black South—spirituality, community, craft, and resilience. These roots would later infuse his art with rich symbolism and layered references to African heritage, Christian iconography, and African American folk traditions.
He studied at Howard University under the mentorship of influential artist and theorist James A. Porter, and later earned an MFA from Catholic University of America. But his education was never just academic—Driskell sought a deeper connection between art and identity.
His work as a painter blends abstraction with figuration, often using bold color, layered texture, and spiritual symbolism. His themes ranged from African cosmology to the Black American experience, always seeking to bridge past and present, African and American, personal and political.
“Two Centuries of Black American Art”
In 1976, Driskell curated the now-iconic exhibition “Two Centuries of Black American Art: 1750–1950” at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). It was the first comprehensive survey of African American art to be presented by a major American museum.
This exhibition was revolutionary. At a time when Black artists were often excluded from the canon—or included only as footnotes—Driskell’s show offered a clear, undeniable argument: Black artists have always been central to the American story, both culturally and artistically.
It opened the doors for later exhibitions, acquisitions, and critical studies. Many credit this show with shifting the institutional gaze, compelling museums and academia to finally reckon with the scope and depth of African American contributions to art.
Scholar and Educator
Driskell was also a gifted teacher and scholar. He taught at Howard University, Fisk University, and later at the University of Maryland, where he helped establish one of the country’s first formal academic programs in African American art.
He mentored countless young artists and historians, fostering a generation of creators who were emboldened to see their Black identity not as an obstacle in the art world, but as a source of power, beauty, and meaning.
His written work, including essays, catalogues, and lectures, helped legitimize African American art history as a formal field of study—and his voice was often called upon by museums and collectors seeking a deeper understanding of Black art’s evolution.
A Painter of Spirit and Memory
While Driskell’s academic and curatorial work is widely celebrated, his own painting is equally deserving of attention. His work often reflects a deep sense of spirituality, using recurring motifs like trees, birds, masks, and sacred geometry.
Pieces such as “Behold Thy Son” (1956), painted in response to the murder of Emmett Till, show his willingness to confront racial violence with raw emotional power. Later works, such as “Homage to Romare”, celebrate cultural ancestors and Black creativity with color and complexity.
Driskell’s style is expressive, symbolic, and deeply personal. It speaks of loss and hope, oppression and beauty, always rendered with a sense of visual rhythm that reflects his belief in art as both celebration and testimony.
Legacy and Honors
David Driskell’s contributions have been widely recognized. He was awarded the National Humanities Medal in 2000 by President Bill Clinton, and his work is housed in major institutions including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the National Gallery of Art.
In 2001, the University of Maryland established the David C. Driskell Center in his honor—an institution dedicated to the study and preservation of African American visual art and culture.
His passing in 2020 due to COVID-19 was felt as a profound loss to the art world—but his legacy endures in the artists he taught, the institutions he changed, and the audiences he empowered to see Black art not as “other,” but as essential.
Final Thoughts: Art as a Sacred Act
David Driskell once said:
“I see my role as artist and teacher as a sacred calling.”
He believed that art could heal, educate, and liberate. And through his tireless work—as a maker, mentor, and messenger—he did just that.
In telling the story of American art, he insisted we tell the whole story—with honesty, with care, and with justice. That story, because of him, is far richer, deeper, and more truthful.
