An iconoclast, colorist, and humorist, Robert Colescott creates multilayered narratives that shine a light on the absurdities of living in a society divided by race. He explained, “I would just be happy . . . if Black American artists could be free to express themselves. I think then they could do their real job, which is being . . . courageous citizens, courageous artists.”

"A Taste of Gumbo" employs a popular American dish to critique those who selectively sample African American culture while avoiding its complex origins. The scene depicts the dream of a woman painted in profile, who envisions a Creole montage: a strand of orange crabs encircles a bayou shack, a fiddler, a card player holding four aces, and a Black man covering his eyes with chained hands. At the center of this tableau, a white woman holds a spoonful of gumbo, her lips tentatively pursed as she pauses to taste this dish, unaware of its African diasporic influence.