Jack Whitten

Jack Whitten (1939-2018) was an American painter and sculptor.  Coming of age during the Civil Rights Era, he moved from Tuskegee, Alabama to New York City to focus on his growing interest in art. While in New York, he became involved with the Abstract Expressionists their influence is evident in his early work. Much of his work was inspired by his experiences with the Civil Rights Movement and his pursuit of "truth" and "soul". Moving away from the 1960s, his practice focused on experimental aspects of process and technique.  Whitten attended the Tuskegee Institute and the Southern University in 1959 and 1960 respectively. He graduated from Cooper Union in 1964 with his BFA.