Cole is best known, however, for his abstract sculptural rendering of neckties. Cole associates his ties with those his grandfather told him were used to lynch African Americans, who were on their way to vote, in a tree near his home in Pine Bluff. Using materials such as wood, aluminum and tarpaper, Cole creates three-dimensional abstract assemblages by painting, etching and bending these mediums. Cole’s work incorporates patterns and textures from traditional African cloths such as the Kente and Adinkra—textiles that in his words, “speak to human conditions and behaviors.” Throughout his work, Cole investigates the existence of polyrhythmic space and overlapping planes while simultaneously reflecting raw emotional power of color, texture, and the beats and rhythms of jazz, blues, rap and gospel.
Cole’s most recent work, The Warrior Series, incorporates themes and motifs inspired by the words of the late Atlanta mayor, Maynard Jackson. Cole explains, “In 1996, I had the opportunity to paint the Coca-Cola Centennial Olympic Mural. At the time, the late Maynard Jackson was selected to have his portrait painted. As part of the process each individual selected for the mural was interviewed… One of the questions Mr. Jackson was asked was, ‘How would you like your legacy to be remembered?’ He replied that he always tried to live by a special verse in a poem. The verse was ‘When I die, would it matter if I was born?”
Following Jackson’s passing, Cole began to reflect upon his words, and from them derived a renewed sense of obligation—to create profound and meaningful work not only for him, but also for his audience. Cole’s ambitions are fulfilled in The Warrior Series. Twisted shapes, sensual textures, and rich colors entwined around smooth erect rods define much of the work in his series. Sculptures such as If my Struggles Could Speak and Ancestral Dreams, stand like totems–symbolizing strength and becoming sounding boards for the human experience.
Throughout his career, Cole has received numerous public art commissions, art fellowships, grants, and awards. His work has been collected by over 13 museums and cultural institutions including, The Yale University Art Gallery, The Ogden Museum of Southern Art, The Corcoran Museum, and the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia.
Tuliza Fleming
Assistant Curator of Art
