Vaughn Spann Marked Man (Mitchell) 2019

Vaughn Spann’s paintings mine the histories of art and activism and the discourses of social practice to reflect on their inextricable relationships. His X series, for example, is inspired by his own experiences as a victim of racial profiling. “I was stopped and frisked for the first time while I was an undergrad student,” he says. “I was walking home from studying at a friend’s house. Cops pulled me over. Four other cop cars came by. They put me against a gate, and my hands are up, split. That same gesture echoes the X. And, for me, that’s such a symbolic form, and so powerful to this contemporary moment.” The highly textured surfaces of these works feature a large-scale X that fills the length of the canvas. While they vary in color, the X remains the common thread. The work’s title conjures the identity of a specific person, suggesting a sort of portrait or perhaps a record of a particular experience. 
Identification
Title
Marked Man (Mitchell)
Production Date
2019
Object Number
2019.181
Credit Line
Collection Pérez Art Museum Miami, museum purchase with funds provided by Jorge M. Pérez, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and PAMM Ambassadors for Black Art
Copyright
© Vaughn Spann. Courtesy Almine Rech and David Castillo Gallery
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Physical Qualities
Medium
Mixed media on wood panel
Dimensions
60 x 48 x 2 1/2 inches
Visual Description
Marked Man (Mitchell) by Vaughn Spann is a mixed media, two-dimensional piece on a wooden panel. It measures five feet tall by four feet wide and is hung in portrait orientation meaning its shortest side runs parallel to the floor. The piece is made of three distinct sections or layers. The first is the background or foundation which is a mostly solid layer of teal colored paint. It appears to be thinner in application towards the edges giving it a slight discoloration. Above this layer is a layer of black and neon blue paint. The color in this section is scattered across the composition as if thrown at the wood panel. It is thick and if we were able to touch it, would feel like rocks or charcoal. The texture of the color extends above the face of the piece. Although primarily black it has small amounts of blue scattered within it. The final section is the focus of the piece which is a bright orange “X” letter shape. It extends the entire height of the wooden panel.  It is not evenly painted and has many irregular shapes within it of missing color. We can see the base teal layer through it in these areas. The effect gives the impression of something that has been faded or weathered over time.
Vaughn Spann
Vaughn Spann — b. 1992, Orlando; lives in Newark, New Jersey
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