This new exhibit travels to the Fort Wayne Museum of Art (Fort Wayne, Indiana) from Nov. 12, 2011 until Jan. 8, 2012.

Legend has it that the Asante learned how to make Kente cloth by watching how a spider weaves its web. Amongst the Asante people this garb was revered and reserved for royalty.

This Kente cloth exhibit will feature a loom, where men traditionally weaved the cloth, many examples of Kente cloth, a mock African market where the cloth would be sold, as well as artifacts and relics that local residents brought back from their visits to the country. Come and be fascinated by the colors and the craftsmanship!

Fort Wayne Museum of Art

Source: The Journal Gazette (Fort Wayne, Indiana)

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Kevin "WAK" Williams

Kevin "WAK" Williams is currently working on a new series of art entitled SACRIFICE that features African-Americans who gave their time, money and even their lives as they fought for their civil rights. Included in this series thus far are “King – To Die For”, “X – To Die For”, “Revolution” and “4 Little Angels”. With these pending releases, Kevin Williams has once again proven why he is one of the most popular and talented African American artists in the world today. Each work is simply stunning and beautiful at first glance but you must look deeper into each piece of art to view and grasp the meaning and significance of all of the symbols and hidden messages that they convey as well. Only at that point will you truly recognize and appreciate these fantastic new creations by the man known simply as WAK to so many.

Below you will find pictures that show one of the works of art in this series entitled “Revolution” being created.

Revolution by Kevin "WAK" Williams

View Our: Kevin "WAK" Williams Art Gallery

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William H. Johnson is known as one of the great artists of the 20th Century. We recently learned about this talented artist and we wanted to share his story, provide some links to additional information about this artist and showcase some samples of his artwork to our community.

William H. Johnson was born in Florence, SC and studied art with Charles Hawthorne at the National Academy of Design in New York City. He also studied at the Cape Cod School of Art in Massachussets. Mr. Johnson perfected his craft in Europe, especially Norway and Denmark, after his teacher gave him $1000.00 to travel and study overseas. While in Europe he created hunderds of pieces of art, developed a strong reputation as an artist and got married to Denmark textile artist, Holcha Krake.

Despite his enormous potential and growing fame, William’s life took a turn for the worst after his wife died from Breast Cancer in 1944. The grief from her death was hard for him to bear. During the years after her death, he worked as a laborer at the Navy Yards in New York before being admitted to Central Islip State Hospital. At the hospital he was treated for syphilis-induced paresis before succombing to the disease and making his transition in 1970.

A large amount of his artwork was donated to National Museum of Art after his death and some was also given to family members and friends. Below you can find some samples of the artist’s work, links to additional resources and a link to a new book about William H. Johnson!

Selected William H. Johnson Artwork

Additional Resources

Purchase the New Book

In this lavishly illustrated book, some of the world’s premier scholars of William H. Johnson and African American art history examine the artist and his artistic genius in fresh new ways, including his relationship with one of his earliest patrons, the Harmon Foundation; the critical role played by scholars at the nation’s historically black colleges and universities; the context of Johnson’s experiences living in Harlem and his deep southern roots; and Johnson as a trailblazer in the genres of still life and landscape painting.

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This is a very interesting piece on the historic African American art located in the Golden State Life Insurance builing in Los Angeles, CA. The Golden State Life Insurance Co. was founded in 1925 by William Nickerson, Jr., Norman Oliver Houston and George Allen Beavers, Jr. in Los Angeles, CA and grew to become the largest insurance company west of the Mississippi River that was Black owned and operated. In 1948, Golden State moved into a new office at 1999 West Adams Boulevard that was designed by a legendary architect by the name of Paul Williams, who was actually the American Institute of Architechts first African American member.

Golden State Life (Inside View)

Paul Williams selected Charles Alston and Hale Woodruff to create two murals for this facility by the names of “Settlement and Development” and “Exploration and Colonization”. It is these two murals as well as all of the other African American art collected by Golden State during the insurance company’s peak that is the centerpiece of this article.

Apparently, due to Golden State Life Insurance’s decline after desegregation, it was seized by the State of California who are now trying to sell these two murals, which is described by Golden State Life Insurance as being:

Golden State Life (Inside View)

“More than mere murals … these priceless panels incorporate documentary material, much of which appears in no annals of American history. California … her early black settlers, historical events, and physical terrain, dominate these murals.”

I truly hope that all of the efforts to keep these murals and the insurance company’s large collection of African American art in the City of Los Angeles is successful. I would like to see this historic building remain in as good as shape as possible and with as much of it’s glory in tact due to it’s historic significance.

In the event the Smithsonian does acquire this Golden State’s collection of art, I hope they display these works proudly, speak on the history of Golden State Life Insurance Company and don’t just buy it and let it disappear into obscurity forever.

Below you will find an image of both murals. Click either image for a close up view.

Learn More About This Situation

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The Chicago community lost one if it’s true difference makers earlier this week when Margaret Burroughs passed at the age of 95. Margaret Burroughs was the founder of two of Chicago’s cultural institutions, the 50 year old DuSable Museum of African American History and the 70 year old Southside Community Arts Center.  She was known throughout Chicago and throughout the world as an educator, author, activist, city commissioner, mentor, artist and poet who dedicated her life to serving and improving her community.  Below you will find some images of the icon as well as a link to the full story.

Read the Full Story

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2. The Kelley Collection of African American Art Travels to Miami

Until Jan. 16, 2011, the Lowe Museum at the University of Miami will present an exhibit featuring select items from the Harmon and Harriett Kelley Collection of African American Art. The name of the exhibit is entitled “The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African American Art: Works on Paper”. This exhibit primarily consists of paper based media and includes ethchings, drawings, pastels, screen prints, lithographs, linoleum cuts, watercolors, and collages. It features artists from 19th, 20th and 21st centuries including such notables as Henry O. Tanner, Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, Elizabeth Catlett, Alison Saar, Margo Humphrey, Dean Mitchell, Robert Colescott, Lionel Lofton, and Ike E. Morgan.

This exhibit featuring over 69 works and was sponsored by Northwestern Mutual and the Funding Arts Network and organized by Landau Traveling Exhibitions.  Below you will find some of the artwork that will be on display:

Read the Full Story

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Robert Vagt, Heinz Endowments President

We are happy to announce that The Pittsburgh Foundation and Heinz Endowments have come together to support organizations and individuals involved in African American art. The $650,000 was just an initial funding amount and grants will be issued bi-annually starting in the spring of 2011. Those interested in applying should contact The Pittsburgh Foundation.

Hopefully, this will lead to the creation of many new magnificent pieces of ethnic art and help support ethnic artists who need the financial assistance. I personally think it’s a great thing and I hope that it achieves it’s desired goal of directly supporting the people and entities involved in the creation of ethnic art. I’m not sure why these institutions felt the need to disassociate themselves with the Multi-Cultural Art Initiative but maybe there will be some clarity and explanation into their decision making process in the future.

Read the full story

No Related Posts.

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Henry C. Porter Bio

Henry C. Porter was born in Bishopville, SC in 1921 and lived most of his life in New York and Georgia.  He entered Morgan State University on a football scholarship in 1940 and was drafted into the army while in college.  Henry later resumed his education, studying painting at the Academy of Arts in Newark, NJ, and graphic design and illustration at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.  For the next thirty years he operated his own freelance graphic studio in New York City, winning awards and corporate contracts for his point-of-sale displays, costumes, and packaging design.  At this time, Henry also embarked on a career as a fine artist, a calling to which he would devote himself to full-time after moving to Kennesaw, GA in 1980.  As an artist he found acclaim for his polished figurative paintings and his highly charged abstracts on Plexiglas.

Henry Porter has had numerous gallery, institution, and museum shows that include the Brooklyn Museum in New York City, the Harriet Tubman Museum in Macon, GA.,  displays at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, GA., and exhibits at Morris Brown College in Atlanta, GA.

Henry C. Porter will be remembered as a man who had strong convictions and who was ever looking for the next challenge.

Henry C. Porter Art

Below you will find some samples of art by the late and great Henry C. Porter.  The title of these prints are Bejewled, Head Two Figures and Nerfertiti.

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Below you will find links to news that was published this week about the African American art industry and in some cases Black History and the African American experience in general. Enjoy!

1. Ernie Barnes dead at the age of 70

The death of an icon in the African American art industry.  He was born in my hometown of Durham, NC and I actually use to be babysitted by one of his daughters.  The African American art industry will miss him dearly.  Rest in Peace Ernie Barnes: http://twurl.cc/vsr

2. York W. Bailey Museum exhibition features 14 African American artists

A stimulus art exhibit?  Hey, we all need help right?  It’s tough out here.  Anyway, if you’re in the Pennsylvania area check it out.  It will run until June: http://twurl.cc/vss

3. “Let Your Motto Be Resistance: African-American Portraits” at San Francisco’s Museum of the African Diaspora

Wow, didn’t know this museum existed but I’d check out the exhibit just on the strength of the title alone.  A lot of these photos were curated for the Smithsonian’s African American History Museum.  The exhibit will be featured in San Francisco until June 14.  If anyone gets a chance to go please email me some photos if they allow it.  Seems very interesting and I wish I could go check it out: http://twurl.cc/vst

4. Free workshop on how to buy and collect African American art today in Dallas/Fort Worth

A little late to post this one now.  I originally posted this as an update to all of the fans of The Black Art Depot on Facebook.  It took place in the Dallas/Fort Worth area yesterday.  Did anybody attend?  Please provide some feedback for the rest of us: http://twurl.cc/vsu

5. African Americans in Montana (Heritage Resources)

I find it impressive that Montana would even have a page on their official site detailing African Americans that were prominent in Montana and chronicling the African American experience in Montana at all.  I mean we barely make up 1% of the population in Montana: http://twurl.cc/vsw

6. Ghanian Ministry Moves To Save Marcus Garvey Guest House

Anything that has the name of the late, great Pan-African icon deserves to be mentioned: http://twurl.cc/vsx

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