Beyond Black: Ed Clark, Eugene Martin and John T Scott April 2, 2011

'Beyond Black' is the LSU Museum of Art's first exhibition to recognize the contributions of Louisiana's African-American abstract artists. 'Beyond Black' proudly presents a selection of works by Ed Clark, Eugene Martin and John T. Scott, three African-American artists who rose to prominence in Louisiana or worked in the state for extended periods of time. While overlooked in their time, these prolific artists tested the language of abstract art and devoted their careers to exploring the forms, methods and styles of the movement. The works of Clark, Martin and Scott are uniquely linked to one another through their innovative artistic approaches and their unquenchable desire to create as a definition of self-identity. They dedicated themselves to experimentation of structure, style and materials. From Clark's gestural brush-stroke paintings, to Martin's vivid hard-edge canvases, to the vibrantly colored three-dimensional work of Scott, Beyond Black highlights these artists who worked in the tradition of free-form abstraction.