The Struggle

Purvis Young, The Struggle, 1973-1974, acrylic on wood, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Grumbacher-Viener Collection in memory of Nancy Grumbacher, 2014.15
Purvis Young, The Struggle, 1973-1974, acrylic on wood, 88 × 77 in. (223.5 × 195.6 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Grumbacher-Viener Collection in memory of Nancy Grumbacher, 2014.15

Artwork Details

Title
The Struggle
Artist
Date
1973-1974
Dimensions
88 × 77 in. (223.5 × 195.6 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of the Grumbacher-Viener Collection in memory of Nancy Grumbacher
Mediums Description
acrylic on wood
Classifications
Subjects
  • Architecture Exterior — domestic — apartment
  • Architecture — vehicle — truck
  • Cityscape
  • Figure male
Object Number
2014.15

Artwork Description

Purvis Young lived his entire life in a segregated district of Miami known as Overtown, commonly called "Colored Town" before the late 1960s. When his neighborhood of African Americans and Caribbean immigrants was boarded up to make way for an overpass bridging more affluent sections of Miami, Young knew he had to do something.

Inspired by the Black activist murals in Chicago and Detroit, he began painting the boarded-up facades of shops along a once thriving baker's row, which locals called "Goodbread Alley."

For the rest of his life, Young made paintings focusing on the perils of being poor and socially disempowered in the United States. The Struggle shows individuals left with next to nothing fighting over what's left. It shows people hitting the road, moving on, making a way out of no way.

Works by this artist (10 items)

Chuzo Tamotzu, Landscape (Towaco, N.J.), ca. 1935-1937, lithograph, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the Evander Childs High School, Bronx, New York through the General Services Administration, 1975.83.91
Landscape (Towaco, N.J.)
Dateca. 1935-1937
lithograph
Not on view
Chuzo Tamotzu, Queens Landscape, brush and ink on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the Evander Childs High School, Bronx, New York through the General Services Administration, 1975.83.112
Queens Landscape
brush and ink on paper
Not on view
Chuzo Tamotzu, Landscape (Towaco, N.J.), ca. 1935-1937, lithograph, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Audrey McMahon, 1968.98.48
Landscape (Towaco, N.J.)
Dateca. 1935-1937
lithograph
Not on view
Chuzo Tamotzu, Cats, ca. 1935-1937, lithograph, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from D.C. Public Library, 1967.72.255
Cats
Dateca. 1935-1937
lithograph
Not on view

More Artworks from the Collection

Claire Falkenstein, City is Man, 1941-1952, linocut, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Falkenstein Foundation, 2019.27.14, ©1997, The Falkenstein Foundation
City is Man
Date1941-1952
linocut
Not on view
Claire Falkenstein, Untitled, 1976, embossed paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Falkenstein Foundation, 2019.27.18, ©1997, The Falkenstein Foundation
Untitled
Date1976
embossed paper
Not on view
Claire Falkenstein, Mandala, 1977, lithograph, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Falkenstein Foundation, 2019.27.19, ©1997, The Falkenstein Foundation
Mandala
Date1977
lithograph
Not on view
Nathan Oliveira, Site with Blue and White, 1978, monotype, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Moses Lasky, 2004.32.14
Site with Blue and White
Date1978
monotype
Not on view