Sam Gilliam arrived in Washington, DC, in 1962, and immersed himself in the artistic community. Associated with the Washington Color School and inspired by color field painting, he developed the distinctive style of lyrical abstraction.

Gilliam challenged conventional ideas about artistic form. His groundbreaking “drape” paintings, in which the canvas hangs from ceilings or walls like fabric, were a significant contribution to contemporary art. In 1972, he became the first African American artist to represent the United States at the Venice Biennale.

As an African American artist during the 1960s, Gilliam faced criticism for not overtly addressing political and social issues in his abstract works. But he was committed to abstraction and to pushing the boundaries of artistic expression.