The Jewish Museum in Manhattan is currently hosting an exhibition that brings together the works of two artists from different backgrounds but with strikingly similar perspectives. Philip Guston, an Ashkenazi Jew, and Trenton Doyle Hancock, a Black artist with a strict Southern Christian upbringing, may have come from different worlds, but their artistic visions blend seamlessly in this thought-provoking show.
Both Guston and Doyle Hancock faced criticism for their figurative, comic book-influenced styles. Guston shocked the elite art world by abandoning abstraction for figuration, while Doyle Hancock experienced the Satanic Panic of the 1980s, with his mother even burning his collection of Garbage Pail Kids cards and Dungeons and Dragons materials to protect him from damnation. Despite these challenges, both artists found ways to use their art to confront issues of racism in America.
Guston, a proud antifascist, lived through the terror of the KKK in Los Angeles, while Doyle Hancock discovered the dark history of his hometown in Paris, Texas, where a Black teenager was lynched at the fairgrounds. Both artists grappled with their own complicity in white supremacy, with Guston depicting himself in a Klan hood and Doyle Hancock creating surreal characters that embody the complexities of race relations in America.
In a fascinating episode of the Hyperallergic Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Hrag Vartanian and Trenton Doyle Hancock are joined by poet and critic John Yau to explore the deep connections between Guston and Doyle Hancock’s work. Yau’s insights shed light on the cosmic connection between these two artists and the power of addressing white supremacy through art.
The exhibition, titled “Draw Them In, Paint Them Out: Trenton Doyle Hancock Confronts Philip Guston,” is on display at the Jewish Museum until March 30. This show challenges viewers to confront uncomfortable truths about racism and complicity, while also offering moments of comic relief to deflate the power of white supremacy.
Despite controversies surrounding Guston’s work in the past, this exhibition proves that his legacy lives on in the powerful and thought-provoking art of Trenton Doyle Hancock. By confronting the darkest aspects of American racism head-on, these artists invite viewers to engage with difficult truths and find moments of catharsis and reflection in their work.
Subscribe to Hyperallergic on Apple Podcasts to delve deeper into the connections between Guston and Doyle Hancock’s art. The exhibition is also available for viewing on YouTube, offering a visual experience of the powerful works on display at the Jewish Museum.
In a time when fascism is on the rise, the work of Guston and Doyle Hancock serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of confronting white supremacy through art. Their art challenges viewers to grapple with uncomfortable truths and find moments of resilience and hope in the face of systemic racism.
