Bob Thompson (1937&;1966) came to critical acclaim in the late 1950s for paintings of unparalleled figurative complexity and chromatic intensity. Thompson drew upon the Western art-historical canon to formulate a highly personal, expressive language. Tracing the African American artist&;s prolific, yet tragically brief, transatlantic career, this volume examines Thompson&;s outlier status and pays close attention to his sustained engagements with themes of community, visibility, and justice. A chorus of voices&;including individuals who knew Thompson, and artists influenced by him&;sheds light on the expansive historical narratives and genealogies to which his work belongs. As the contributors contextualize the artist&;s ambitions and his unique creative process, they reposition Thompson as a predecessor to contemporary artists such as Kerry James Marshall and Kehinde Wiley. Featuring an array of artwork, and never-before-published poems and archival materials, this study situates Thompson&;s extraordinary output within ongoing dialogues about the politics of representation.