Purvis Young (USA, 1943-2010), Untitled, mixed media assemblage; paint, wood. Size: 57" x 31".

From the Overtown section of Miami, Florida, Young is famous for blending the African American experience in the South with his private study of the masters of art history in his paintings, collages, and found media artwork. He began drawing as a teenager during a period spent in prison, and his move to painting was initially inspired by the mural movements of other large cities. His work, which shows the influence of Youngʼs private study of Rembrandt, El Greco, van Gogh, Gaugin, and Picasso, attracted the attention of Bernard Davis, owner of the Miami Art Museum, and eventually the praise of collectors and institutions around the country. Today, his pieces appear in many museums, including the High Museum in Atlanta, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Corcoran Gallery of Arts in Washington DC, the American Folk Art Museum in Atlanta, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, amongst others.