The Phillips Collects: Rush Baker IV
Collection
The Phillips Collection has recently acquired View from Charleston Harbor by DC artist Rush Baker IV through the Contemporaries Acquisition Fund.
The Contemporaries program provides a unique opportunity for younger members to infuse their lives with art and connect with the Phillips. This year, members of the Contemporaries Steering Committee participated in an acquisition process, guided by our curatorial team and Vradenburg Director & CEO Jonathan P. Binstock, focused on adding underrecognized artists to the permanent collection. The Phillips Collection is grateful to the Contemporaries and the Contemporaries Steering Committee for their dedication and enthusiasm for the Phillips and collecting.
About the Acquisition Process
Contemporaries Steering Committee Members on the selection of Baker’s work:
“It’s a unique and meaningful experience to influence a museum collection at this stage in life. It makes me feel closer to the artist, the institution, and everyone involved.”-Caroline Lacey
“Being a part of The Phillips Collection Contemporaries acquisition process in 2024 was as enriching as it was educational and enlightening. Each of the selected works quite literally brought me to my knees. But it was always clear to me that Rush’s piece needed to be part of the Phillips’s future and permanent collection. His thick layered of paint combined with his unique storytelling of a pivotal moment in America’s history and ability to create an ethereal, aerial vantage point immediately felt like a masterpiece. I was lucky to get to support and vote for his work. It was an exciting and enlivening experience. One I will surely never forget!”-Catherine Snyderwine
“It is no coincidence that the Steering Committee chose these works in the past as these artists and these works represent our values, our curiosities, our community and the communities around us. It has been such a special privilege to highlight these artists and to bring them into the Phillips permanent collection. Thank you to the Phillips and the curatorial staff for all their help over the years. This has been such a unique opportunity, and we are all grateful.”-Emilia Tripodi
About the Artwork
The artist explains:
“In the work Views from Charleston Harbor, I referenced Currier and Ives print from 1861 that served as a jumping off point for the underlying drawing I made. This drawing was then printed in sections and collaged on the surface of the canvas, and serves as the armature for the painting. The colors were additionally pushed further into red tones for a more monochromatic image. The composition is mostly hazy and diffused due to the material layering, but the flag remains recognizable.
My work explores the notion that landmarks among landscapes, both marked and unmarked, appeal to everyone impacted by mediated images reinforcing narratives in our collective imagination. By employing a diverse range of mediums, I deliberately cultivate ambiguity, blurring the boundaries between real and digital.
It is my hope that work challenges the narrative boundaries of historical painting by incorporating contemporary social and political interpretations, drawing parallels between historical conflicts in the United States and modern-day struggles around the globe.”
About the Artist
Rush Baker IV (b. 1987, Washington, DC) embraces uncertainty in his painting practice, blending real and digital elements across diverse media. His method involves printing collaged images, layering them with plaster, concrete, paint, and resin to create textured works that reflect the urgency and chaos of the socio-political climate.
Baker has exhibited nationally and internationally, with solo shows at Future Gallery (Berlin), Scaramouche Gallery (New York City), HEMPHILL Artworks, and Honfleur Gallery (Washington, DC), among others. He holds a BFA from The Cooper Union and an MFA from Yale University. In 2023, he was a Trawick Prize finalist and an Artsy Foundations Prize finalist in 2024. Currently, Baker is a Grant Wood Art Fellow and Visiting Assistant Professor in Art at the University of Iowa. Baker is also a Lecturer in the MFA Program at American University’s Katzen School of Art in Washington, DC. His works are included in the collections of The Studio Museum of Harlem, The Phillips Collection, and The International African American Museum.
About the Contemporaries
This fall, in response to member feedback, we are excited to announce updates to the Contemporaries program to enhance the member experience. The Contemporaries has become a dedicated membership level with an annual gift of $500. The membership enables young professionals to enjoy exclusive, Contemporaries-only social events while also gaining insider access to select benefits available to the higher Circles levels. Contemporaries are also eligible to enjoy the recently announced changes to Phillips Music and special Phillips Travel opportunities, including participation in Art Basel! Learn more about these benefits here.
