Marching to a Different Drummer

In "Marching to a Different Drummer" the figures and props surrounding the central African-American figure reveal him to be a white-collar worker who has received his university education on a sports scholarship. He "marches" with white America, but the pained look on his face and the ball chained to his foot demonstrate the extent to which his black heritage is both ever-present and ever-compromised. Colescott's work comments on white perceptions of blacks and black perceptions of whites and of themselves and shows how racism and self-imposed inferiority define black identity.

Colescott's brightly colored and densely packed paintings reflect on the complexity of racial perceptions and relations in the United States today. Neither condescending nor mean-spirited, Colescott's works are humorous and satirical metaphors for difficult political and personal situations. His playful use of exaggerated forms and gaudy colors allows him to address complicated issues of racial stereotypes and identity politics in a disarming and humorous way.