Study for "White Squad #2"
1982
Since the 1950s, Leon Golub's art has unflinchingly portrayed power struggles in our outsociety, addressing such subjects as the Holocaust, the atomic bombings in Japan, and the Vietnam War. He sees his work as a microcosm, hoping that it prompts the viewer to look critically at the imbalance of power in the outside world. This drawing is a study for the large painting "white Squad II" from a series that depicts police officers' aggressions against civilians. This work shows the moment right before the officer pulls the trigger. Golub heightens the tension by making the viewer a silent witness and therefore complicit in the act.
Conte crayon on paper
Comp/sheet h.: 22 in.
Comp/sheet w.: 29 7/8 in.
Frame h.: 30 7/8 in.
Frame w.: 38 1/4 in.
Gift of Jerome D. Whalen
90.33