…NOTES ON COLLABORATIVE FRIENDSHIP | |
|
…Notes on Collaborative Friendship at the South Side Community Art Center (SSCAC), 1st floor Burroughs Gallery is the culmination of Nnaemeka Ekwelum’s doctoral research on friendship, artistic collaboration, and decolonizing Black political thought. Through a series of intentional and creative partnerships between him and eight other U.S. based artists/scholars, this project experiments with the rigor of collaborative friendship as a creative methodology in contemporary art making and knowledge production. It also affectively explores alternative ways to represent Black Studies scholarship within and beyond academic spaces of learning.
Collaborative artist interventions in the exhibition include Lishan AZ, Shenequa “SHENEQUA” Brooks, Stephen Hamilton, Noor Jones-Bey, Mercy Emelike, Carmen Neely, and Cordelia Rizzo.
Supported by Northwestern University Black Studies Department. Through January 20th.
| |
|
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the Black Age of Comics is a graphic novel movement dedicated to the promotion, creation, and support of Afrocentric comic books and graphic novels. Launched with a convention in 1993 by Chicago artist Turtel Onli, the Black Age of Comics celebrates creators & products derived of the Black, Urbane, Alternative, or African experience. The term riffs off the period language from the comics industry in America to discuss eras of production like the Golden Age (1938-1950) or the Silver Age (1956-1970). Existing outside the mainstream comic book industry, the Black Age aims at expansion - to include artists that create material from a black or African perspective.
Presented by the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts Turtel Onli: The Black Age of Comics is on view in Café Logan, 915 E 60th, from January 26 - March 31, 2024.
Group photo above: Onli launched the first Black Age Convention in February 1993 and has been organizing the conferences ever since.
| |
|
Wisconsin Black Art & Culture Expo 2024, Wisconsin's largest celebration of Black contributions in the arts, honors Rosemary Ollison on February 10th.
Rosemary Ollison (b. 1942) is a self-taught artist who lives in Milwaukee, WI. When she was 16 years old she moved to the Midwest from a plantation in Arkansas. She began making art in 1994 while healing from an abusive marriage and for the next 29 years has explored numerous media. Most of her work deals thematically with her identity as a Black women and celebrates the power, individuality and mystique of women. Besides drawing, Rosemary collects glass, leather, bracelets, beads, bones and jewelry and repurposes these materials into sculptural works. She has redesigned her small apartment with layers of pattern, duct tape sculptures, curtains of beads and woven leather, crazy quilts and inventive drawings. She also designs clothing and writes poetry. Ollison says she creates in dialog with God: “When I am creating I am satisfied, I am free! I no longer just exist, I am alive!
The Wisconsin Black Arts & Culture Expo - Black Tie Kickoff Gala where Ollison's work will be presented will be held at Mathis Gallery on the campus of UW-Parkside College of Arts and Humanities.
TICKETS ON SALE HERE
| |
Image above The Power of Love by Sam Gilliam, 1993, Acrylic on polypropylene paper on wood, 45.5x 77.5" (framed), Image courtesy the Early Collection and Galerie Myrtis. | |
|
(Baltimore, MD) - Galerie Myrtis proudly presents Art of the Collectors IX, a curated exhibition showcasing masterpieces from private collections. Immerse yourself in the brilliance of 20th and 21st-century works of art by African and African American artists.
This extraordinary collection unveils the creative genius of artists such as Elizabeth Catlett, Sam Gilliam, Alvin Hollingsworth, and others who have significantly shaped the American art landscape. From rare paintings to original prints, captivating photographs to timeless sculptures, these treasures have been safeguarded by generations of art enthusiasts.
The exhibit runs from February 10 – March 16, 2024.
Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Saturday by appointment, 2:00 – 6:00 pm.
Hours extended during special events.
| |
|
DECADENCE OF ANOTHER KIND
A JOURNEY THROUGH ART & RESILIENCE
| |
|
Bridgeport Art Center hosts Unique Exhibition from January 19 – March 1, 2024
The Bridgeport Art Center announces the upcoming art exhibition, "Decadence of Another Kind," running from January 19 to March 1 in the center’s 4th Floor Gallery. An Opening Reception will be held on January 19th from 7 pm –10 pm. This captivating showcase will feature a diverse group of artists, each telling a unique narrative rooted in their Southern heritage. What sets these artists apart is the distinct voice derived from the soil and ancestors of the South, offering a nuanced perspective on honoring the past, confronting the present, and preparing for the future. The exhibition will be mounted by Atlanta based September Gray Fine Art and is being presented in partnership with Pigment International.
The common thread among these artists, whether African Americans with roots in the South or individuals like Antonio Carreno from the D.R. and Frank Schroeder from France, lies in their profound understanding of the human condition and the art of navigating life's constant flux. The exhibition serves as a testament to the shared experiences that transcend borders and backgrounds.
| | | | |
