Sam Gilliam: A Retrospective

Sam Gilliam: A Retrospective marks the first full-career retrospective of Sam Gilliam and the most extensive presentation of his work to date. Sam Gilliam first achieved widespread acclaim in the late 1960s with his groundbreaking Draped paintings, which blur distinctions between painting, sculpture and architecture. Now into his fifth decade as an artist, Sam Gilliam, who has been described as the most prominent African American abstract painter, continues to create innovative approaches that influence younger generations of artists. A retrospective reveals the hallmarks of Sam Gilliam’s constantly evolving aesthetic: exploration, risk and formal invention. The exhibition features monumental paintings, elaborate mixed-media constructions and installations. Sam Gilliam: A Retrospective is organized by the Corcoran Gallery of Art and accompanied by a catalogue.