Gladstone will present an exhibition of paintings by Robert H. Colescott (1925–2009), the gallery’s first solo presentation with the artist since announcing representation of his Estate in 2025. The exhibition will focus on a pivotal period in Colescott’s practice between 1964 - 1968, tracing the years immediately before, during, and after his time living and working in Cairo, Egypt. Gladstone’s Robert H. Colescott exhibition will offer a focused examination of how the geography of Cairo and the history of its people reframed the artist’s identity both as a painter, but also as a Black man.
In addition to his own artistic practice, Robert H. Colescott (b. 1925, Oakland, CA; d. 2009, Tucson, AZ) was a long-time teacher of painting who earned the prestigious Endowed Regents’ Professorship following teaching roles at institutions including the Portland State University, Oregon; The San Francisco Art Institute; University of California, Berkeley; and University of Arizona, Tucson, where he achieved emeritus status. In 1966 and 1967, he was the first visiting professor of art at the American University in Cairo.