A Life Worth Living: The art of Michelangelo Lovelace serves as a mirror of the times we live in

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After decades of workmanlike progress in his career, the late Cleveland-based artist Michelangelo Lovelace had just begun to see his star rise: in 2018, Fort Gansevoort Gallery in New York presented his solo show, The Land. The Cleveland Museum of Art had acquired his painting, My Home Town. Then Lovelace was diagnosed with cancer in 2020, and passed away in 2021. This year, the Akron Art Museum explores his work in Michelangelo Lovelace: Art Saved My Life, on view May 4 – August 18, 2024 in the Karl and Bertl Arnstein Galleries. Akron-based artist Dara Harper offers this review. – ed.

Stepping into the Michelangelo Lovelace: Art Saved My Life exhibition at the Akron Art Museum, I was immediately captivated by the unique depth of his work. Lovelace’s large canvases testify to his deliberate use of rhythm and movement. He employs saturated colors and thick paint applications to create a variation of depth and emphasis on his gritty landscapes. This distinctive style leaves the viewer in awe and eager to explore further.

Works of Michelangelo Lovelace boldly present his interpretation of the world, a life with two stark choices: a sinner or a saint. His work, a reflection of the human condition, exposes the hypocrisy and the profound vulnerability we all face in a fallen world. This deep and contemplative connection is masterfully juxtaposed with frequent references to the church, a symbol of hope against the backdrop of the liquor store and other vices we can all succumb to.

I was particularly fascinated by the typography and symbols woven into his work, much like the constant representation of patterns of squares as windows of city buildings. The messaging of words pronounced itself and was affixed to the building, making the space visually claustrophobic. I imagined pushing past the crowded street to allow the mother to push her baby in the stroller and have room to reach her destination or belt out a skittish laugh while catching fireflies on a warm summer evening.

Michelangelo Lovelace’s work is a powerful testament to his pride and relentless fight to survive in the city he called home. This struggle engages the viewer and stirs a profound sense of empathy. For most of us, art serves as a mirror of the times we live in, allowing us to connect with our shared humanity in the joys and struggles we face.

With its raw and honest portrayal, Lovelace’s work not only resonates with our own experiences but also moves us, evoking a range of emotions from empathy to inspiration.

Michelangelo Lovelace: Art Saved My Life

May 4 – August 18, 2024

Akron Art Museum

1 South High Street

Akron, OH 44308

330.376.9186