Photography: Khee I, 1978 by Jack Whitten––Exhibiting at Studio Museum in Harlem

Amongst several wonderful artworks on display in one of few current exhibitions at the Studio Museum in Harlem, Circa 1970 (Nov. 17, 2016 - April 2, 2017), my favorite is the great abstract work, Khee I , 1978, by Jack Whitten. Every time I walk into the gallery I am drawn to and into the beautiful abstract painting. It excites so much, say so much, say so little: fibs beautifully and seems sincerely cruel. Leaving one to decide whether to take it whole or just the part that feels favorable. I have been struggling to choose, but yesterday, as I sat in front of it––during my lunch hour––to try to find the words to write of it, I finally came to accept it whole and I believe now it speaks no lies, just truths. It is I who went to it and tried to tell it to be either or. Its sharp countless steep horizontal gullies––sharply rising terrace-like etchings––leading only into itself is at the same time a flat surface with minimal texture. In one instance it is everything complex, uniqu