Where to See Beauford Delaney

Beauford Delaney's work can be viewed in several museum collections. The Knoxville Museum of Art holds his 1944^[1] pastel *Portrait of James Baldwin*. The Toledo Museum of Art (in Ohio) has also acquired Delaney's pieces. A retrospective of Delaney's art was curated by Richard A. Long in 1978 for the Studio Museum in Harlem, New York. A recent exhibition, "Beauford Delaney’s Metamorphosis into Freedom", organised by the Knoxville Museum of Art, was on view at the Asheville Art Museum until June 2021. This exhibition featured over 40 paintings and works on paper, many connected to Delaney's friendship with James Baldwin. These pieces either depict, are inspired by, or are dedicated to Baldwin. The show included works such as *Untitled (Landscape)* (circa 1940) and *Untitled (Knoxville Landscape)* (1969), as well as *Yaddo*, a 1950 pastel.

Beauford Delaney was an American^[1] modernist painter known for his use of colour and light. He produced paintings, drawings, and prints throughout his career. Delaney was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, and later moved to New York City, where he became part of the Harlem Renaissance^[1]. He eventually settled in Paris in 1953^[1], where he remained for the rest of his life. Although Delaney is perhaps best known for his paintings, he also produced lithographs and other print media. These prints often explored similar themes to his paintings, such as abstraction, light, and portraits. Delaney approached each new canvas with enthusiasm, using pigments freely. He worked steadily, painting through various hardships and interruptions.

Beauford Delaney's art remains important for its exploration of the human condition and his distinctive approach to abstraction. Despite facing adversity, he maintained a compassionate outlook, which is reflected in his work. He saw his own struggles as subjects for his art, approaching them with clarity and understanding. Delaney's focus was on creation itself, rather than external rewards or recognition. His art transcends specific locations or social divisions, instead tapping into universal human experiences. He transformed Greene Street in New York, where he lived, into a representation of the human soul's journey. His ability to capture this state of mind in his paintings could evoke strong reactions, from ridicule to empathy. Delaney's work offers a vision of the imagination, inviting viewers to connect with the deeper aspects of human existence.

Beauford Delaney was dedicated to his art, painting unremittingly through varied circumstances. He approached each canvas with enthusiasm, as if it were his first. Delaney used his pigments lavishly, despite not knowing where the next tube would come from. James Baldwin noted that Delaney taught him about light, specifically how it is contained in everything. Baldwin recalled walking with Delaney through New York City, observing how Delaney was always seeing, which, in turn, caused Baldwin to begin to see. Baldwin described seeing a brown leaf on black asphalt and oil moving like mercury in the gutter. He realised that, by observing with Delaney, the colours underwent a change. Baldwin realised that black was not the absence of light, but light trapped within. He also understood that light fell from heaven on everything and that the light was always changing.

Beauford Delaney had a marked effect on those around him. The writer James Baldwin, for example, had a friendship with Delaney that lasted almost 40 years. They met in 1940^[1], when Baldwin was still a teenager. Delaney's works often depict, or are inspired by, Baldwin. According to Baldwin, Delaney served as a guide for how to persevere as a gay man of colour. Delaney completed Portrait of James Baldwin, a pastel on paper, in 1944. Baldwin said that he learned about light from Delaney; the light contained in everything, every surface, every face. Baldwin recalled walking with Delaney through the streets of New York City. He stated that Delaney's way of seeing caused him to begin to see. Baldwin began to apprehend colours in new ways, such as discovering many colours in a brown leaf on black asphalt.

Beauford Delaney taught others how to see light and colour in the everyday world. The writer James Baldwin said he learned about light from Delaney, 'the light contained in every thing, in every surface, in every face.' Baldwin recalled walking with Delaney through the streets of New York City, observing how 'the very colours underwent a most disturbing and salutary change'. Baldwin described how Delaney's way of seeing prompted him to notice the many colours in a brown leaf on black asphalt or oil moving in a gutter. He realised that light was always changing and falling on everything. Baldwin also noted Delaney's focus on creation, without concern for reward or recognition. Delaney's vision transcended racial and national boundaries, focusing on the human soul and imagination. Baldwin captured Delaney's likeness in a 1963^[1] pastel portrait.

It is difficult to identify one single 'most famous work' by Beauford Delaney. Throughout his career, Delaney remained dedicated to his art, painting with enthusiasm despite facing numerous personal hardships. Interruptions and challenges did not deter him; instead, he approached each canvas with the same passion as if it were his first. He used his materials generously, maintaining a positive outlook and a strong sense of responsibility for his work. Delaney's unwavering faith and integrity are reflected in his art, and he believed in his ability to overcome any obstacle, even death, to continue his artistic journey. His work embodies a spirit of endurance and a deep connection to his heritage.

Beauford Delaney was an American^[1] modernist painter. He came of age during the Harlem Renaissance^[1], a period when African-American artists began making black Americans the subject of their art. Prior to this, African-American artists created art inspired by their Euro-American counterparts to appeal to market values. The Harlem Renaissance saw artists make racial identity a prominent theme, making the subject of race as important as formal innovation. Many African-American artists worked within the Modernist tradition. They offered an alternative by making racial identity a prominent theme in their work. Some artists focused on the racial mysteries and social realities, such as colour and facial structure. Others reproduced scenes of Harlem, avoiding sentimentality by using the finest painting techniques. Delaney and others translated the African-American experience into the conventions of modern painting.