Charles Alston (1907 â 1977) Head of a Woman, 1961 Wash drawing on paper 15 x 10 Âź in. ~ Charles Alston responded to the Civil Rights movement in America not only through his work with the Work Progress Administration (WPA) or with fellow Black artists in creating support groups and communities, like Spiral  but also in profoundly understated ways in his works. From the late 1950's to the mid-1960's, the period in which Head of a Woman was realized, Alston painted in black and white inspired by the movement and civil turmoil and experimented with varied brush strokes and techniques. This period is considered one of Alston's most influential. A type of haunting presence is possessed in Head of a Woman, her inquisitive eyes shifted downwards and shadowed in faint blotches of ink. Multiple lines trace and retrace lips, eyes and a noses, layered atop one another suggesting movement or revealing Alston's swift and skilled hand. Amongst these brisk, sharp lines - Alston softens and completes the portrait with irregular feathered ink blotches and shadows. Charles Henry Alston was an illustrator, painter, muralist and sculptor. He received his B.A from Columbia, before attending New York University where he received his M.A. During his years at NYU, Alston also taught at the Harlem Community Art Center, Harlem Art Workshop, where he would mentor young artist such as Jacob Lawrence. Alstonâs works gained recognition in the 50âs when one of his paintings was exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Afterwards he not only landed several exhibitions at major galleries and institutions across the United States but he also became the first African American instructor at the Museum of Modern Art. Although Alston had gained both National and International acclaim, Alston never stopped advocating for and inspiring young artists, especially African American artists. ~ #billhodgesgallery #nycgallery #artgallery #africanamericanartist #supportminorityartists #supportthearts #artworld #billhodges #africanamerican #africanamericanart #blackartist #africanamericanartist #africanamerican #blackexcellence #charlesalston #charleshenryalston #headofawoman #civilrights #washdrawing https://www.instagram.com/p/B53Bh5ol_HV/?igshid=vuem9biisov1
