Mid 20th Century Abstract Folk Art Collage by Kenneth Dickerson

Description

This is just a great original piece. For those not familiar with the artist I have included a biography I … more This is just a great original piece. For those not familiar with the artist I have included a biography I found below. This is a wonderful period new york african american work of art. On the back of the frame there are multiple stamps from kenneth dickerson's gallery in the bronx, ny. The phone number dates the work to before 1964. This is a great abstract collage of fabric and felt. The background is a wonderful orange fabric that looks like silk. Then a layer of red felt with a green box inside it. Then a different blue felt and what looks like a circle of the same orange silk as the background. The total size measures 21 1/2 x 12 1/2 inches. Original linen lined matte and gold wood frame create the total presentation. The wire on the back has the piece hanging up and down like an exclamation point. However, the artist signed the piece in pen along the upper left corner heading down to the bottom which would make me believe it is supposed to be oriented the other way. Based on the artist having been the framer as well, I guess the wire is correct. I guess one could hang it however you wanted. Either way it is a wonderful period piece of african american art. Really just a great work. Frame measures 27 1/2 x 19 inches.

For those not familiar with the artist, one of the biographies I found on a sale of his work read: "ken (b. 1935) Was the only son of the actor known as khigh dheigh (b. Kenneth dickerson 1910). Kenneth was a self taught artist and had an art gallery and framing business during the 1960s/70s in new york. Around 1970 he did show at the brooklyn museum and the new york arts festival. He is listed in a few publications such as "who's who in american art". He is listed on "askart.Com" as a self taught artist. His pieces have come up for auction on occasion, and he is considered to be a collectible artist.Like his father before him, ken changed his name at some point in the 1980s or so to ken/ dickkersun (with a /slash after his first name). He became a psychic and numerologist, hosting a website and writing books. Also like his father, he was very involved in I ching, the old chinese oracle and consultation. Many believe his father was chinese, but he was actually of english, egyptian and sudanese descent. Kenneth passed away in 2011." His who's who in american art also shows exhibitions at the huntington museum and the priscilla gower gallery. less