Sam Gilliam Shoebox Mixed Media Relief Etching Collage 1997 Signed Edition of 21

Artist: Sam Gilliam
Title: Shoebox
Medium: Relief Etching with Collage on Handmade Paper
Size: 20" x 23.5", unframed
Edition: 16/21
Year: 1997
Inscription: Signed, titled, dated, and numbered on bottom front in silver
Documentation: Includes Gallery Certificate of Authenticity

"Shoebox" (1997) is a work on paper by Sam Gilliam (1933–2022), a leading figure in post‑World War II American abstraction and an influential practitioner of experimental printmaking. In this relief etching combined with collage on handmade paper, Gilliam applies multiple techniques to produce a textured surface that engages both color and compositional structure. The work's layered imagery and material presence reflect his ongoing interest in expanding the formal possibilities of print beyond conventional graphic processes, bringing practices associated with painting and assemblage into dialogue with etching. Gilliam began printmaking in the 1970s and frequently manipulated traditional methods, sometimes cutting, stitching, or reassembling printed works in the studio to create highly individual compositions.

Sam Gilliam's artistic career is distinguished by innovation across media, from his early association with the Washington Color School and his development of unstretched, color‑soaked canvases in the 1960s to his later explorations in print, collage, and sculpture. He was the first Black artist to represent the United States at the Venice Biennale in 1972. His prints and works on paper have been included in exhibitions such as Sam Gilliam: Printmaker, organized by Landau Traveling Exhibitions and presented at the Columbia Museum of Art and other institutions.

Work by Sam Gilliam is held in major museum collections, including the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Whitney Museum of American Art; the Metropolitan Museum of Art; and the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C.

In "Shoebox", the combination of etching and collage on a hand‑fabricated support highlights Gilliam's commitment to material exploration and his sustained engagement with the visual language of abstraction across formats. "Shoebox" was created as an edition of 21 in 1997. The work measures 20" x 23 1/2" and is signed, titled, dated, and numbered in silver on the bottom front. Purchase includes a gallery certificate of authenticity.

About Sam Gilliam

Sam Gilliam was a pioneering American painter and colorist whose work played a central role in the development of abstract expressionism and the Washington Color School. Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Gilliam's artistic trajectory was shaped by a profound interest in color, form, and the expressive potential of unconventional materials. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts from the University of Louisville in 1955 and later studied at the Yale University Summer School of Music and Art under influential mentors, developing a foundation in both painting and design.

Gilliam is best known for his innovative draped canvases, which suspended painted fabric from ceilings or walls, challenging traditional notions of the painting as a flat, two-dimensional surface. By allowing gravity, gesture, and color to dictate the composition, he created works that were simultaneously sculptural and painterly. These draped paintings became iconic in the late 1960s and early 1970s, cementing his reputation as a transformative figure in postwar American art.

Throughout his career, Gilliam experimented with a wide range of techniques, including staining, pouring, and layering pigment on unprimed canvases, producing works of luminous color and dynamic spatial depth. His oeuvre also encompassed prints, collages, and murals, demonstrating a commitment to public art and accessibility. Gilliam's work has been exhibited extensively at major institutions, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the National Gallery of Art, and is included in prominent public and private collections worldwide.

Gilliam's artistic legacy is defined by his radical approach to abstraction, his exploration of color as an autonomous expressive force, and his influence on generations of artists engaging with the materiality of paint and canvas. As a seminal figure in American modernism, Sam Gilliam's work continues to be celebrated for its innovation, formal elegance, and enduring impact on the trajectory of contemporary art.