On Oct. 21, the Tufts University Permanent Art Collection acquired "Fold XII," a painting by the famous abstract painter Sam Gilliam. The piece is like nothing else in the gallery: The colors bleed together on the canvas in an array of vibrant hues that make the painting stand out among the others beside it.
Gilliam is just as one-of-a-kind and distinct as his work. He started his career in the 1960s to initial critical acclaim but never rose to Pollock or Warhol levels of recognition. Gilliam remained overshadowed and under-recognized until 2012, when his work was featured by Los Angeles gallerist David Kordansky.
According to his Artnet profile,Gilliam has been “experimenting with folding and draping canvases, creating innovative works which became known as his signature ‘drape paintings,’”since the 1960s. This technique has brought on much-deserved national and international acclaim. Today, his work is featured in the Museum of Modern Art, Musée d’Art Moderne de la ville de Paris and the Tate Modern, among other museums around the world.
“Fold XII” offers an invaluable addition to the Permanent Art Collection. According to the Tufts Art Gallery's mission statement, the collection seeks “to enhance and enliven the quality of Tufts' visual environment and support the educational mission of the university by encouraging direct and daily contact with original works of art through the publicly sited, outdoor Permanent Art Collection and the intra-university Circulating Art Program." With the acquisition of “Fold XII,” the Permanent Art Collection can continue with this mission.
“A lot of it is art that really has a singular home at Tufts," Senior Art Collection Registrar Laura McDonald said. "[They are] objects that people associate with Tufts.”
The collection seeks to represent Tufts’ identity through the years, and “Form XII” adds another layer of depth to the collection that is meant to represent everything associated with the university.
McDonald was enthusiastic about the piece.
“It is a wonderful abstract piece," she said. "It’s colorful. It’s bright. It’s engaging. It’s tactile. It’s wonderful.”
Dean of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA) Nancy Bauer also expressed excitement about the recent acquisition.
“It's a very spectacular [painting]," she said. "I think the work is magnificent, and his artistic process has evolved over the years, but these particular pieces are really signature pieces of his and, I think, quite wonderful.”
Both McDonald and Bauer emphasized their gratitude toward the donor of “Form XII,” Peter Segal (A ’65).
Segal said that the donation was made in honor of his late father, who was an avid art collector.
“We wanted to dedicate a painting to my dad who was a college and med school grad and taught at the med school," Segal said in an email to the daily. "He was a collector and had, during his lifetime contributed a number of pieces to the school.”
In response to “Fold XII” and Gilliam's influence, he responded to the piece by admiring its unique technique.
“I particularly love the colors and textures of the work," he said. "It speaks to me.”
Segal also stressed the importance of recognizing black artists like Gilliam.
“Black artists are important in the world, and we wanted to celebrate this with Tufts and make more people aware of his art,” Segal said.
“Fold XII” is currently on display as a part of the Tufts University Permanent Art Collection on the first floor of the Art Gallery. Anyone interested should be sure to check out this iconic work, along with the many others featured in both the art collection and art gallery.
Tufts Art Gallery acquires Sam Gilliam's 'Fold XII'
