Images of Labor

For seven decades, and in spite of changing artistic styles, Lawrence maintained a commitment to representing the figure and scenes of African American life that is unparalleled in the history of art. Carpenters and builders, readers in libraries, and consumers: the artist is renowned for his images of productive people working in a progressive American society. The various figures in this work - a celebration of labor - interact smoothly despite their psychological isolation from each other. The city's inhabitants move within Lawrence's complex, energetic composition like cogs in a well-oiled machine. They embody the artist's social consciousness as an expression of hope and fellowship. Lawrence was awarded the Pennsylvania Academy's prestigious Founder's Day medal in 1997.