Emory Douglas’s Lifetime of Revolutionary Art
At age 83, the former Black Panther Party culture minister continues to explore the possibilities of unapologetically political art.
SAN FRANCISCO — Emory Douglas honed his craft in the trenches of political artmaking. The artist first learned the basics of commercial printing while serving a 15-month sentence at a juvenile correctional facility at the age of 13; later, he became the minister of culture for the Black Panther Party, where he designed the party’s newspaper and shaped the group’s political aesthetic. Douglas’s deep-seated understanding of the strength of printed material and critical eye toward oppressive power structures have remained key features of his work for decades.
Now, the 83-year-old artist is the subject of the survey exhibition Emory Douglas: In Our Lifetime at San Francisco’s African American Art and Culture Complex, complete with paintings, prints, and political cartoons spanning decades and issues. It makes the case that to be a contemporary artist, one must remain politically engaged, ever navigating and responding to the times they live in.
