Robert Colescott
Knowledge of the Past Is the Key to the Future: Matthew Henson and the Quest for the North Pole, 1986
Acrylic on canvas
90 x 114 inches
Knowledge of the Past Is the Key to the Future is a series of paintings about the politics of representation. The title refers to Marcus Garvey: 'A people without the...
Knowledge of the Past Is the Key to the Future is a series of paintings about the politics of representation. The title refers to Marcus Garvey: "A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots." These are tightly packed compositions that ponder the history and legacy of slavery and colonialism and weave together the past and present.
Matthew Henson, the son of sharecroppers, played a crucial role in Robert Peary’s 1909 expedition to reach the North Pole. Henson is now thought to have actually reached the North Pole first; but while history exalted Peary, Matthew Henson’s role was sacrificed and his essential contribution reduced to the servitude of a porter.
Colescott’s drawing Matthew Henson and The Quest for the North Pole is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s permanent collection.
Matthew Henson, the son of sharecroppers, played a crucial role in Robert Peary’s 1909 expedition to reach the North Pole. Henson is now thought to have actually reached the North Pole first; but while history exalted Peary, Matthew Henson’s role was sacrificed and his essential contribution reduced to the servitude of a porter.
Colescott’s drawing Matthew Henson and The Quest for the North Pole is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s permanent collection.
Exhibitions
1999 Re/Righting History: Counternarratives in African-American Art, Katonah Museum of Art in Katonah, NY
2002 Knowledge of the Past is the Key to the Future, Arthur Roger Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2018 Figuring History: Robert Colescott, Kerry James Marshall, Mickalene Thomas, Seattle Art Museum
2019 Art and Race Matters: The Career of Robert Colescott, Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans, LA
2020 Art and Race Matters: The Career of Robert Colescott, Portland Museum of Art, Portland, OR