Gladstone Gallery has announced its representation of the Robert Colescott Estate, marking a significant new partnership in the contemporary art world. The prestigious gallery will debut its first exhibition featuring the late artist's work next year and will showcase pieces by Colescott at the upcoming Art Basel Miami Beach fair next month.
Robert Colescott, who passed away in 2009, stands as one of the most influential American artists of the 20th century. His large-scale paintings gained recognition for their sharp satirical commentary and biting critiques of both American history and traditional art history. The artist's work challenged conventional narratives and exposed uncomfortable truths about representation and exclusion in historical records.
Among Colescott's most celebrated and controversial works is "George Washington Carver Crossing the Delaware: Page from an American History Textbook" (1975). This provocative painting reimagines Emanuel Leutze's famous "Washington Crossing the Delaware," transforming George Washington and his soldiers into Black figures, many portrayed as racist stereotypes. The piece drew criticism even during its creation, which was precisely Colescott's intention. Through this work, he aimed to highlight the systematic exclusion of Black people from historical and artistic records while demonstrating that when Black figures did appear, they were often reduced to offensive caricatures.
Colescott achieved a historic milestone in 1997 when he became the first Black artist to represent the United States at the Venice Biennale. His career was marked by significant exhibitions, including a major traveling retrospective that originated at the San Jose Museum of Art in California in 1987. In 2019, curators Lowery Stokes Sims and Matthew Weseley organized his first posthumous retrospective, which premiered at the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Another retrospective honoring the centennial of the artist's birth is scheduled to open in December at the Tacoma Art Museum in Washington.
"His work resonates with so many important artists in the program, and it felt like a very natural fit," Max Falkenstein, senior partner at Gladstone, told ARTnews. "Gladstone has never shied away from art that explores identity and politics, and Colescott represents the foundation of this for so many contemporary artists today." Falkenstein, who described himself as a longtime admirer of Colescott's work, revealed that the gallery had been interested in representing the artist for years but only recently connected with the family a few months ago.
The timing of this partnership comes after the estate's previous gallery, Blum, closed over the summer. Blum had first mounted a Colescott exhibition in 2018 and had been the estate's longtime representative. "The dialog developed very naturally," Falkenstein explained regarding the conversations with the estate about the new partnership.
In a statement to ARTnews, the Colescott estate emphasized their careful consideration in selecting new representation, focusing on how best to preserve and advance the artist's legacy. "From our very first conversation with the Gladstone partners, it was evident that their enthusiasm, professionalism, and shared commitment to legacy building aligned seamlessly with our own," the family stated. "During our time together, they expressed many of the same goals and aspirations that have guided us for years. Our partnership with Gladstone represents both an intuitive and intellectual connection—a true meeting of values, vision, and dedication."
The art market has shown strong appreciation for Colescott's work, with "George Washington Carver Crossing the Delaware" achieving a record-breaking sale of $15.3 million at Sotheby's New York in 2021. This sale completely shattered the artist's previous auction record of $912,500, which had been set in 2018. The iconic painting now resides in the collection of the forthcoming Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles.
While such high-profile sales might seem exceptional, Falkenstein characterized Colescott's market as fundamentally strong with significant potential for continued growth. "There are still a lot of opportunities for growth and development," he noted. "We look forward to supporting it on every aspect of his 50-year career. We're looking forward to getting started." This partnership positions Gladstone Gallery to play a crucial role in furthering the recognition and market presence of one of America's most important satirical painters.
