Life’s Material

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Raymond Saunders’ Post No Bills, 1968, vibrates with energy at David Zwirner’s 525 West 19th Street location in New York. Reminiscent of a Jazz composition, the coral, monochromatic painting strikes a commanding yet subtle presence, assembled with a small rectangle of expressionistic brushstrokes, and a red cross resting above. Displayed with three additional works, the evocative piece is the title work in a two-part exhibition of Saunders’ work that spans the last four decades.

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“Raymond Saunders: Post No Bills," is currently on view across David Zwirner's joint West 19th Street locations as well as at Andrew Kreps in TriBeCa (the two galleries announced co-representation of the artist earlier this year). The exhibition is an enriching look into the 89-year-old Pittsburgh-born and Oakland-based artist’s practice, which includes many never-before-seen works that both elicit joyous laughter and teachable insights.

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“Racial hang-ups are extraneous to art,” Saunders writes in “Black Is a Color,” his famous treatise from 1967. "Can't we get clear of these degrading limitations, and recognize the wider reality of art, where color is the means and not the end?” The artist self-published his pamphlet in response to the Black Arts Movement’s emphasis on Black Aesthetics, underscored by writers such as Larry Neal and BAM founder Amiri Baraka. Why are some artists grouped together based on racial expectations and points of reference, his writing—and his art—asks. 

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At David Zwirner, Passages: East, West 1, 1987, a beautifully scrawled children's drawing that features a coke can, a cupcake with candle, and trident gum is collaged to a vast black background of magazine clippings, boat figurines, and a used paint brush. Similar motifs appear throughout the show curated by Ebony L. Haynes, recalling the artist’s role as a teacher and the influence children’s early compositions have had on his practice. 

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Both galleries feature a photo treatment on the walls that highlights details in works such as Walls I Have Known II, 1983, on view at David Zwirner, and Pittsburgh '07-11, 2007, at Andrew Kreps. The visuals underscore Saunders’ usage of material, building of textures, and exquisite compositions. The phrase “Post No Bills” appears in a number of these works, encapsulating the division of public and private space and the limits of expression in contemporary society: where you are not welcome, or can’t post up, the “not for you” kind of space. “In 1968, [Saunders] was already thinking about public and private space and where he and his work should be,” says Haynes, whose shared interest in playing with public and private spaces has manifested in wheatpasting campaigns for exhibitions at 52 Walker (where she is the director) that take over these same sites. Resonance is integral to Saunders’ approach, informed by his life-long role as an educator, underscores Haynes. The through line in his expansive practice? “He wants everyone to have access to the work."

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"Raymond Saunders: Post No Bills" is on view now through April 6, 2024 at David Zwirner at 519 and 525 West 19th St., New York, NY 10011; and Anderew Kreps at 22 Cortlandt Alley, New York, NY 10013.

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