Hughie Lee-Smith

Painter Hughie Lee-Smith (19151999) sought to transform his experiences growing up as an African American during the Great Depression into meditations on the human condition. In each of Lee-Smith's enigmatic compositions, barren landscapes, lone figures, and contrasting juxtapositions elicit many questions that lead the viewer to self-reflection. Active in the art scenes of Cleveland, Detroit, and Chicago, Lee-Smith found inspiration in the New Negro MovementHarlem Renaissance and nurtured his artistic talents early by participating in the Works Progress Administration/Federal Art Project. While he objected to strict definitions of "black art," his personal struggles with race identity, social justice, and alienation became recurring themes in his paintings throughout his career. Hughie Lee-Smith presents nearly sixty color plates from the artist's profound oeuvre. Author Leslie King-Hammond considers the powerful experiences that shaped Lee-Smith's vision, while a comprehensive chro