Color in Freedom: A Journey Along the Underground Railroad

By Barbara Stephanic

The history of the struggle for freedom from slavery cannot be told too many times. It is a vital component of America's history; it is key in understanding American culture. In Joseph Holston's magnificent suite of images, the story is told deeply and compellingly. His dramatic motion- and color-filled paintings contrast the brutal ugliness of slavery with the overwhelming courage of those who survived it, escaped it, and worked to end it. Holston portrays the human capacity for cruelty with stunning poignancy and the human capacity for hope with heartfelt--but measured--joy.
The artist traveled the route of the Underground Railroad--the name for the system that developed to help fugitive slaves escape to the North--in preparation for creating this series. He organized the pictorial narrative like a symphony in four movements, naming each section as such