Vincent Smith

Illustration for the book Stories from Africa (1975) by Marguerite Dolch.
From the beginning of his career in the 1950s, Brooklyn native Vincent Smith sought to depict the Black experience in his paintings, focusing on everyday life in his community. His sources of inspiration ranged from Jacob Lawrence to German Expressionism and the Mexican muralists. In the 1960s, as he was involved in the struggles of the Civil Rights Movement, Smith became more committed to express the singularity of his cultural heritage. Trips to Africa in the 1970s produced a shift in his art toward brighter colors and geometric shapes influenced by African art. The change is notable in this illustration for Marguerite Dolch's Stories from Africa, a book of African folklore for children. The vibrant watercolors celebrate African traditions, dance, and clothing. The rhythmic energy of the composition recalls Smith's passion for jazz, a continuous inspiration in his work, which culminated in the two 1999 mosaic murals he created for the 116th Street subway station in Harlem.