At once hypnotically tumultuous and exactingly constructed, Walkers with the Dawn and Morning from 2008 is an expansive celebration of Black perseverance post-Hurricane Katrina, swirling with dense layers, choreographed linework, and hints of bright color in a deep, tonal sea. Named after the eponymous poem by Langston Hughes, Walkers with the Dawn and Morning was painted specifically for Prospect. 1, a New Orleans Biennial inaugurated to stimulate art world participation and cultivation in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Just as Hughes’ poem represents the journey of the Black community in America, moving forward despite countless obstacles in their path, Mehretu’s painting solidifies the sense of community and solidarity crucial to the Black population of New Orleans. Beyond displaying the artist’s most lauded aspects of her oeuvre– exquisitely meticulous architectural renderings powerfully juxtaposed against gestural mark-making, dynamic and nuanced compositional layering, and thoughtful exploration of urban social spaces– Walkers with the Dawn and Morning considers human resilience after unthinkable disaster.
Julie Mehretu's Walkers with the Dawn and Morning will be sold at The Now Evening Auction on November 15 2023. The Now Evening Auction focuses on the art of our time, offering the most exciting, cutting-edge works on the market and providing a masterpiece context for well-established and newly canonized artists. The auction also provides heightened visibility and a relevant art historical context for younger artists, establishing the masters of today and tomorrow. The November 2023 iteration of The Now Evening Auction combines critically acclaimed masterpieces with the best of newly emerging artists. Taken together, the auction traces the arc of artistic production this century and examines many of the prevailing themes addressed by artists today, forming a dynamic portrait of the varied trends that constitute the art and culture of our time.

Past Auction

The Now Evening Auction

15 November 2023 | 6:00 PM EST | New York