Ain't That a Shame

Object Details

Created by

Charles Gillam Sr., American

Subject of

Fats Domino, American, 1928 - 2017

Description

Acrylic painting over carving on a wood board depicts Fats Domino playing the piano on the roof of his flooded studio. Outlines of figures and objects are carved into the wood, then painted over. Fats Domino is wearing a turquoise suit and is playing a white piano labelled "Steinway". Over his head are the words "Ain't that a shame." His studio, a small yellow house, is surrounded by water and framed by two telephone poles, complete with wires that are breaking off at the top. The studio has a sign in the front window that reads "Fats Domino Studio" and a sign over the door that reads "studio." In front of the house is a bright pink Cadillac, being flooded by water. There are small indistinct objects floating in the water in the foreground. The artist has signed the work on the bottom right. There is a small natural knot hole through the board at bottom left.

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

2005 - 2012

Object number

2013.207.3

Restrictions & Rights

© Charles Gillam Sr.

Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

Type

paintings

Medium

acrylic paint on wood

Dimensions

H x W: 24 15/16 x 14 x 13/16 in. (63.3 x 35.6 x 2.1 cm)

Place depicted

New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, North and Central America

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Visual Arts

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Topic

African American

Art

Communities

Folklife

Instrumentalists (Musicians)

U.S. History, 2001-

Record ID

nmaahc_2013.207.3

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd596385be2-f293-48f5-9f11-e44d5be6a8f6