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Untitled, Purvis Young Mixed-Media Painting, 1980s

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Purvis Young
Purvis Young Large 44” City Trucks Signed Original Painting on Cloth
ca. 1980-2000

Name: Purvis Young Large 44” City Trucks Signed Original Painting on Cloth
Brand: Purvis Young
Rating: 5 (12 reviews)

$6,450

£4,925.14

€5,902.35

CA$9,285.27

A$9,573.64

CHF 5,397.87

MX$122,536.11

NOK 62,236.68

SEK 65,095.92

DKK 44,135.22

About the Item

Artist: Purvis Young Title: Untitled (City Trucks) Medium: Original Oil Painting on Cloth with Plywood Backing Size: 44" x 23.5" Year: Unknown Condition: In the style of found art with an intentionally weathered appearance. Expected imperfections include heavy creasing, unfinished edges, and marks Inscription: Signed "Young" on front Purvis Young's Untitled (City Trucks) is a bold and dynamic original oil painting on cloth, backed with plywood, measuring an impressive 44 x 23.5 inches. The large scale and vertical format give the piece an imposing presence, drawing viewers into Young's raw, expressive world. Trucks and other vehicles are a recurring motif in Young's work, symbolizing movement, migration, and the struggles of urban life. For Young, these vehicles often represented both the physical and metaphorical journey of marginalized communities—moving forward despite obstacles, seeking better opportunities, and carrying the weight of their histories. His signature gestural brushstrokes and layered compositions create a sense of urgency and motion, reinforcing the theme of constant movement within the city. Staying true to his found-art aesthetic, Young embraces the imperfections of his materials, allowing the worn cloth and rough plywood backing to become an integral part of the artwork's character. The intentionally weathered appearance, with visible creasing, unfinished edges, and surface marks, adds to the authenticity and raw energy of the piece, reflecting the resilience of the communities he sought to portray. It remains unframed, though framing options are available upon request. This work is a compelling example of Young's ability to transform everyday materials into deeply expressive narratives that speak to themes of perseverance, movement, and urban life. About Purvis Young Purvis Young was an artist who saw the world through the lens of struggle and perseverance. Born in 1943 in Miami's Overtown neighborhood, Young grew up amid racial tension, economic disparity, and the slow erosion of a once-thriving Black community. Rather than succumb to despair, he turned to art as a means of documenting and transcending his surroundings. Through his raw, dynamic paintings, Young gave voice to those too often overlooked, solidifying his status as one of the most influential self-taught artists of his time. Young's path to becoming an artist was anything but conventional. He dropped out of school as a teenager and was incarcerated for a brief period in his youth. While in prison, he discovered the power of visual storytelling, drawing inspiration from library books on art history. The bold compositions of Mexican muralists like Diego Rivera and the social realism of artists such as Jacob Lawrence left a lasting impact on him. With no formal training, Young developed his own distinct approach, painting with an urgency that reflected the realities of his environment. Returning to Overtown, Young began creating art prolifically. He painted on scraps of wood, discarded doors, and repurposed materials, using whatever he could find to bring his visions to life. His work was spontaneous yet deeply symbolic, filled with recurring imagery of horses, angels, cityscapes, and crowds of people. These figures represented themes of migration, oppression, freedom, and the search for hope—narratives that mirrored the struggles of Overtown itself. One of Young's most famous artistic interventions was his transformation of a desolate alley into an outdoor gallery. Known as "Goodbread Alley", this space became his personal exhibition site, where he installed hundreds of paintings along the walls of abandoned buildings. This raw, immersive environment caught the attention of local art patrons and, eventually, national collectors. Despite facing financial instability throughout his life, Young's work was acquired by prestigious institutions, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami. What set Young apart was not just his subject matter but his method. His paintings were built up through layers of thick, expressive brushwork, often incorporating collage elements such as book pages and newspaper clippings. The textured surfaces and rich, earthy color palette gave his works a visceral quality, making them feel alive with movement and emotion. Though he passed away in 2010, Young's influence continues to resonate. His paintings serve as historical documents of a community in flux, capturing the resilience, pain, and dreams of Overtown. His legacy is one of artistic defiance—a reminder that art can emerge from anywhere and speak to everyone, regardless of background or circumstance.

Creator:
Purvis Young (1943 - 2010, American)
Creation Year:
ca. 1980-2000
Dimensions:
Height: 44 in (111.76 cm)Width: 23.5 in (59.69 cm)
Medium:
Fabric,Oil
Period:
Late 20th Century
Condition:
Gallery Location:
Minneapolis, MN
Reference Number:
Seller: 8374655856746541stDibs: LU1098117931932

Materials

Paper, Ink, Crayon

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Purvis Young
Purvis Young Large 44” City Trucks Signed Original Painting on Cloth
ca. 1980-2000