African American Art on Display
An exhibit called "Beyond the Blues: Reflections on African America From the Fine Arts Collection of the Amistad Research Center" is on view from Sunday (April 11) through July 11 at the New Orleans Museum of Art. This is the first time that works from Amistad's acclaimed collection have been displayed at a major exhibition venue.
Sharecropper by Elizabeth Catlett (1970), a linocut, is one of the many works of art from the Amistad Research Center's fine arts collection that will be on display at the New Orleans Museum of Art.
The multifaceted project illuminates the contributions of African American artists during the past 125 years. It includes 100 paintings, works on paper, sculpture and other media, along with selections from artists' personal papers held at the Amistad Research Center at Tulane.
"Among Amistad's hidden treasures is one of the finest collections of African American art by African American artists of the 19th- and 20th centuries," says Lee Hampton, executive director of the Amistad Research Center.
The Amistad Research Center is the nation's largest independent repository of original materials devoted exclusively to the study of the history, culture and life experiences of African Americans and other ethnic groups. The collection is best known for its works by Harlem Renaissance artists.
After July 11, the exhibition will travel to other venues throughout the United States. It will be the first time that the Amistad's collection is the focus of a large-scale traveling exhibition.
A full complement of educational programming will accompany the exhibition.
Wednesdays are free for all museum visitors. For more information, call 504-658-4100 or go to the New Orleans Museum of Art website.
