Gilbert Young (born 1941)[1] is an American artist from Cincinnati, specializing in conceptions of the African-American experience. Young is best known for his painting He Ain't Heavy, which as of 2004 had sold "nearly one million" copies.[2] His art has been used by BellSouth advertising and on T-shirts worn by actors on Bill Cosby's NBC sitcom A Different World.[3]

Gilbert Young
Born
Cincinnati, OH
MonumentsHe Ain't Heavy (Atlanta, GA)
CitizenshipUSA
Known for
  • Artist
  • Muralist
  • Art conservator
Websitewww.gilbertyoungart.com

Young criticized the selection of Chinese sculptor Lei Yixin to sculpt the National Mall's Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. One of his objections was that the sculptor chosen should be African-American.[4][self-published source]

In 2019, Gilbert Young completed the longest mural in Atlanta, measuring 700 feet.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Gilbert Young Art Gallery".
  2. ^ Spark Plug (1 March 2004). When Times Are Tough Everybody Needs a Spark Plug: Inspiration for Succeeding During Tough Times. Spark Plug International. p. 68. ISBN 978-0-9743440-0-3.
  3. ^ Carrie Whitaker, "Artist Gilbert Young turned away from Macy's Music Festival", Cincinnati.com, July 30, 2010.
  4. ^ Mike Xiong (26 July 2011). The Stone of Hope: Martin Luther King Memorial and Master Sculptor Lei Yixin. Xlibris Corporation. pp. 146–. ISBN 978-1-4653-3645-3.
  5. ^ Rinker, Kevin. "City Lights: Gilbert Young Murals; 50 First Jokes; and More". WABE. Met Atlanta. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
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