(1925-2009)
Robert Colescott was born in Oakland California, and he had an MA from the University of California at Berkley. He was a painter of African American life with humor and often politics. Colescott is in many major collections including the Whitney Museum.
Robert Colescott was an African-American painter and educator recognized for his expressionist artwork. He gained fame for his satirical pieces that addressed social themes related to race and gender.
Robert Colescott was born in California in 1925. His parents were talented musicians, cultivating his passion for music in his youth. He played various instruments and took up drumming at an early age, contemplating a career in music before ultimately shifting his focus to art. A family friend connected to the Harlem Renaissance encouraged him to pursue his artistic endeavors. He drew inspiration from numerous sources, including Mexican muralist Diego Rivera and contemporary art from around the globe.
He was drafted into the Army in 1942 and served in World War II in Europe. During his service he spent time in Paris where he further soaked in the art world. Once he returned home, he started school at U. of C. Berkeley where he earned a bachelor’s degree in drawing and painting. He returned to Paris, to study under Fernand Léger. He later returned to Berkeley and earned his master’s degree in 1952.
Colescott was an active artist between the 1970s and 1990s and held teaching positions at institutions such as Cal State, UC Berkeley, the San Francisco Art Institute, and the University of Arizona in Tucson, where he made history as the first art department faculty member to receive the title of Regents’ Professor.
He was prolific as an artist from the 1970’s through 1990’s and also taught at Cal State, UC Berkeley, the San Francisco Art Institute and the University of Arizona at Tuscon where he became the first art department professor to be honored with the title of Regents’ Professor.
Colescott’s contributions significantly impacted 20th-century art. His vibrant colors and exaggerated forms were shaped by influences from Pop Art and Abstract Expressionism. He was the first African-American artist to showcase work for the United States at the Venice Biennale, which delves into cultural and social themes via art and performance. Colescott’s pieces are part of esteemed collections at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
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