Archives – Spring 2007

BILLY COLBERT, Their First Taste of the Strange Fruit, Mixed media on photograph, 70 x 50 inches, 2001.

Their First Taste of the Strange Fruit

Billy Colbert’s work can be described as visual folklore. He is intrigued by the lost art of story telling and its listening audience. By layering imagery, literature, and dynamic colors, Colbert creates a complex atmosphere in his work that challenges the viewer to contemplate the multifaceted lives of those represented.

Colbert has had solo exhibitions at the African American Museum in Dallas, Texas, and the Delaware Center for Contemporary Art in Wilmington, Delaware. In 2000, Colbert was selected best in show at the Carroll Harris Simms National Black Art Biennial Competition.

Richmond’s Red Door Gallery will host a solo exhibition of Colbert’s work in March 2007. The artist is currently participating in the following group exhibitions: Reasons to Riot, Memphis College of Art, Memphis, TN, February 19 thru April 7, 2007, Jolly Cowboy, District of Columbia Arts Center, Washington, DC, March 16 through April 17, 2007.

He received his MFA in Painting from the University of Delaware in 2000. Billy lives and works in Washington, D.C. More information on Billy Colbert can be found at billycolbert.com.