In colors that pop like jazz, Live Composition II, 2024 by African American artist Bai is a 30” x 22” acrylic, oil pastel, and ballpoint pen painting on paper. A raw energetic style of painting with white and black abstract shapes adding to the rhythm, Bai's approach to his work is reminiscent of graffiti and neo-expressionism.
"… symbols I use reflect emotional states of humans experience – reds for the violent past, blues, greens for the peace to come, and yellow and oranges for the bright future ahead. The latter is not guaranteed in my paintings. However, I think peace is attainable in life." ~Carl Karni-Bain (BAI), Harlem, New York City
Provenance: Artist’s studio
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Artist's Bio:
For three decades BAI (Carl Karni-Bain) 1959- has exhibited in the San Francisco Bay Area, North Carolina, and New York City. As an artist in over two dozen international art fairs including London, New York City, Hong Kong, Miami, and San Diego. BAI has garnered an audience worldwide. In 2013 Thelma Golden, Director of The Studio Museum of Harlem selected BAI as one of the top 10 artists working in Harlem, New York City. He was also selected as one of the top 50 artists living in Manhattan.
Bai's work is in private and public collections, including the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC, The Harrison Museum of African American Culture, Roanoke, VA, among others. In 2022 Bai’s work was chosen and sold at a Christie’s auction 100 Years of Harlem: Resonating Around The World.
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