You are here: American University College of Arts & Sciences American University Museum 2024 Joseph Holston: Call and Response

Joseph Holston:
Call and Response

Presented by the Alper Initiative for Washington Art
September 7 – December 8, 2024

Joseph Holston, Artist

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Joseph Holston, Jazz, 1990. Seated man in suit holds saxophone as he coughs, newspapers behind him

Joseph Holston, Jazz, 1990. Screenprint, 35.375 x 25 in. Courtesy of the artist.

Overview & Events


November 16, 2:00-3:00 p.m.


Step into a world where jazz and visual art converge. Jazz, with its roots deeply embedded in Black music and storytelling, mirrors Holston's commitment to representing the depth and breadth of the Black American experience.

A Maryland painter and printmaker, Joseph Holston celebrates Black life, history, and culture through his art. His work can be found in numerous public collections, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Phillips Collection, the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Library of Congress Fine Print Collection, among others.

Holston's mature style is distinct, blending abstraction and figuration with a bold, primary color palette that creates identifiable forms without anchoring them to a specific identity. The kinetic energy and vibrant dynamism of Holston's work are palpable in pieces like Grand Finale, which captures the moment just after a performance’s end.

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Joseph Holston, Grand Finale, 2013. Oil on canvas, 42 x 50 in. Courtesy of the artist.

Joseph Holston, Grand Finale, 2013. Oil on canvas, 42 x 50 in. Courtesy of the artist.
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Joseph Holston, Tantalizing Keys, 2024. Oil on canvas, 38 x 38 in. Courtesy of the artist.

Joseph Holston, Tantalizing Keys, 2024. Oil on canvas, 38 x 38 in. Courtesy of the artist.
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