Sheldon

Jacob Lawrence
Paper Boats (1949)

 

At Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery, vibrant colors and social overtones shade Jacob Lawrence's Paper Boats. At first glance, the scene appears playful - three men sailing paper boats on a street. But a closer look suggests another scenario. The men are slumped over and their faces express sadness or hopelessness. Lawrence grew up in poverty and was largely self-trained in the arts. But he achieved fame at age 21, using bold colors and angular forms to depict scenes of African-American history. In Paper Boats, he celebrates familiar surroundings and routine activities. Lawrence stated, "My pictures express my life…so I paint the American scene." Paper Boats captures the Harlem experience, and it's an art treasure of Nebraska at Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery.