Remembering Radcliffe Bailey, a talented artist and friend of the High
Carlton Mackey and Dr. Nisha Gupta reflect on Radcliffe Bailey’s EW, SN and the spirituality of his work.
By Carlton Mackey, the High’s Assistant Director of Education, Community Dialogue and Engagement, and Dr. Nisha Gupta, Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of West Georgia
On November 15, the world lost an outstanding artist, Georgia-based Radcliffe Bailey, known for his imperative contributions to the art world. Bailey’s work reflects themes related to the African diaspora, bridging connections between his personal life and the collective Black experience. Much of his inspiration came from Atlanta, his home since the age of four, including many trips to the High as a young man.
Below, Carlton Mackey and Dr. Gupta share their remembrances of the artist, reflecting on one of his works in the High’s collection, EW, SN (2011).
Reflection from Carlton
On November 10, I sat on a stool in the High Museum of Art next to Dr. Nisha Gupta, a psychology professor from the University of West Georgia, to discuss a work of art by esteemed fifty-four-year-old Atlanta artist Radcliffe Bailey. The conversation was part of a monthly series that I lead called Seeing with Spirit, in which we invite someone from the Atlanta community to choose a work of art from the museum’s collection that speaks to them and to connect that work to some aspect of their spiritual or faith practice. Seeing with Spirit is one of four major components of a monthly program called Oasis where we transform the museum into a sanctuary for art, presence, and spiritual practice.
In front of a gathered crowd, we discussed Bailey’s EW, SN (2011) — grief and healing, life and loss, and the invitation this masterful artist extends to each of us, through the work’s focus on the Great Migration of African Americans, to never forgo our hopes and dreams. Dr. Gupta spoke about her own experiences, her relation to each of these concepts, and why she chose this work out of our entire collection.
Little did we know, just five days later the world would mourn the loss of this pioneering artist. When I was informed of his passing, I could not believe the news, nor how timely the message of his work was to this moment of political and societal fracture. Just as we had discussed in front of this monumental work, I reflected on the shared experience I had with members of the Atlanta community from all walks of life who, across all our differences, brought our minds, our bodies, and even our varying spiritual beliefs together to see a work of art. For a moment, I wondered and smiled at the thought that maybe Dr. Gupta hadn’t chosen that piece of art but that, maybe for the sake of all who had gathered, it had chosen her. Maybe the purpose of Seeing with Spirit for that evening wasn’t just for us to see a work of art by this esteemed and beloved artist through a spiritual lens — but for us to be seen by spirit.
Reflection from Dr. Gupta
When I first stood in front of Radcliffe Bailey’s EW, SN at the High, my spirit elevated as my chest filled with awe and gratitude. This artwork spoke to me as a reminder of hope amidst times of profound sorrow and darkness. I am a transpersonal psychologist and psychology professor at the University of West Georgia, where I study dark nights of the soul and spiritual emergencies — such as how periods of intense psychological distress can awaken spiritually elevated states of consciousness and connection with the divine. Bailey’s EW, SN appeared to capture exactly this phenomenon for me — a reminder of the divine intelligence that is always there to guide us in times of darkness, personally and collectively.
Through a series of synchronicities, Carlton invited me to be a speaker for his Seeing with Spirit program at November’s Oasis. I was so grateful that he offered me a platform to provide psychoeducation to the local Atlanta community about the ways that deep suffering and grief can expose us to greater moments of sacredness, divinity, and creativity in everyday life. Sitting in front of Bailey’s EW, SN, I felt called to share my own story of healing from grief by connecting with the divine through painting as a form of meditation or prayer. I wanted to leave the audience with a message of hope that when they find themselves in times of grief, they can discover healing through art making as a spiritual practice.
Then, five days later, Carlton called to inform me that Radcliffe Bailey had passed away. I was in disbelief; I had no idea he had been sick. My immediate response was one of gratitude that the universe had somehow brought the local Atlanta community together to honor the therapeutic meanings of Bailey’s artwork right before his passing. Later I learned that Bailey described his own artistic practice as a process of communing with the divine to offer gifts to the community: “I think there is a way to be active in one’s community. And I don’t necessarily mean going to work at a community center, but by reaching out and touching, really touching those who are closest to you . . . A lot of what I do is through karma and giving. I go to a space where my work is not about me. I’m just an agent. It goes back to my belief and God.” Thank you, Radcliffe Bailey, for giving the community this sacred gift of hope. I hope you felt the gratitude and love of everyone at the High whom you have touched through your work.
Beyond his contributions to the art world, we’ll always remember Radcliffe as a previous member of the High’s board of directors, creative force, and most importantly, close friend.
