Davenport, Iowa (September 25, 2014) -African American Art Since 1950: Perspectives from the David C. Driskell Center is a new exhibition that will be opening on Saturday at the Figge Art Museum.
Sponsored by the John Deere Foundation, the exhibition chronicles the evolution and growing prominence of African American art over the past 60 years. Featuring over sixty works that cover a wide range of art styles and media, the artists explore recurring themes of race, gender, American history and slavery as well as the importance of body for artistic expression.
Artists include luminaries such as Faith Ringgold, Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett and Sam Gilliam who opened up the possibilities for African American art and more recent examples by artists like Kara Walker, Chakaia Booker and Willie Cole. Collectively these artists reflect the growing prominence and complexity of the field of African American Art over the last six decades.
"Each of the works on display provides a glimpse into the evolution of African American Art and its significant contributions to the art of the United States," said Figge Curator Dr. Rima Girnius.
The exhibition is organized by the David C. Driskell Center for the Study of the Visual Arts and Culture of African Americans and the African Diaspora at the University of Maryland. It will be on view in the third floor gallery through January 4, 2015.
Companion Programming:
Free Family Day
Saturday September 27
10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Guided Activities
Celebrate the special exhibition from the Driskell Center with hands-on art projects, performances and gallery activities. Free admission all day. Sponsored by Quad-City Times.
Film: The Loving Story
6:30 p.m. Thursday, October 2
As part of the Created Equal: America's Civil Rights Struggle initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the Afro-American Heritage Center is hosting the documentary The Loving Story, which provides the definitive account of Loving v. Virginia, the 1967 Supreme Court decision to legalize interracial marriage. A discussion will follow.
Exhibition Opening
Thursday, October 16
5:30 p.m. Opening Reception/7 p.m. Talk
Dorit Yaron, deputy director of the Driskell Center, will speak about the Driskell Center and describe the process of curating the exhibition. Professor Curlee R. Holton, executive director, will discuss the Driskell
Center and the exhibition as they pertain to the larger scope of African American art and the American art canon.
Interpretive Response in Dance and Music
7 p.m. Thursday, October 23
Dorian Byrd?founder, director, choreographer and instructor for Imani! Dancers & Studio for Cultural Arts?will collaborate with musician and professor Coleman Harris to interpret select artworks in a performance. This program is made possible by an Arts Dollar$ grant from Quad City Arts and the group artsBASICS for coordinating this community collaboration.
Art Talk
7 p.m. Thursday, November 6
Dr. Jo-Ann Morgan will speak on African American visual culture. Dr. Morgan is Associate Professor in the African American Studies Department at Western Illinois University.
Exhibition Tours
1:30 p.m. Saturdays, October 4, 11
1:30 p.m. Sundays, October 5, 19
About the Figge Art Museum
The Figge Art Museum is located on the riverfront in downtown Davenport at 225 West Second Street. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday and Sundays 12-5 p.m. Thursdays the museum is open until 9 p.m. Admission to the museum and tour is $7. Admission is free to Figge members and institutional members and free to all on Thursday evenings from 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. To contact the museum, please call 563.326.7804, or visit www.figgeartmuseum.org.
