https://emuseum.cornell.edu/internal/media/dispatcher/86570/fullWorkshop1972[com.gallerysystems.emuseum.core.entities.RecordXPerson@15bb9]com.gallerysystems.emuseum.core.entities.RecordXPerson@15bb9Color lithograph on wove paperFrom his first published lithograph in 1963, Lawrence produced a dynamic body of prints exploring universal issues of equality, unity, and hope in a distinctive, personal style of bold colors and flat, overlapping shapes influenced by modern art. He often described his work as a continuation, constantly growing and building upon itself; many of his prints rework themes and compositions from his paintings. As a social realist who favored abstract modes of expression, Lawrence depicted the African American experience and the world around him with vivacity and energy. His images reflect his keen observation of the sights and sounds of Harlem, and he uses simplified forms, patterns, repetition, and bold color to express the mood and the meaning of each scene. In the late 1940s, he began to focus on subjects dealing with labor, construction, and building. In the artist’s fascination with the shapes of tools and other implements used in the building trades, these later works put emphasis on pictorial devices—such as line, shape, color, and space—to heighten the viewers’ experience. —SWJcom.gallerysystems.emuseum.core.entities.Classification@5eThe Jacob and Gwendolyn Lawrence Foundation, www.jacoblawrence.org PO Box 5533, NYC, 10027https://emuseum.cornell.edu/objects/15459/rdf