Sam Gilliam

American, 1933-2022

Sam Gilliam’s impact on contemporary art exists in his contributions to the Washington Color School movement and American abstract expressionism. Gilliam was born on November 30, 1933, in Tupelo, Mississippi but grew up primarily in Louisville, Kentucky. He attended the University of Louisville where he received his Bachelor's of Arts in painting as a member of the second class of admitted black students in 1955. 

Upon moving to Washington D.C. in the 1960s, Gilliam began painting bold yet declarative abstract and expressionist works. Thomas Downing introduced him to the Washington Color School, inspiring Giliam to experiment with an unsupported canvas. Gilliam’s Drape paintings quickly became part of his signature style. As an African American artist, civil rights remained important to Gilliam. In support of the Black Emergency Cultural Coalition, he boycotted an event at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 1971 for their failure to consult with black artists.  

In his later career, Gilliam applied new styles including hard edge abstraction and painting reminiscent of patchwork quilts. Gilliam’s works have been held in institutions both in the US and abroad, including solo exhibitions at the Corcoran Gallery and the Hirshhorn Musuem, both in Washington D.C.