Black Art and Artists

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black art: a culture history by richard j. powell
Creating their own image: the history of African-American women artists by lisa e. farrington
wake up our souls: a celebration of black american artists by tonya bolden

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February is African American History Month, a time to focus with intention on Black Americans and their history, highlighting contributions that have frequently been unspoken or underscored by others who dominated the historical narrative.

Homecoming by Ernie Barnes, a painting of NCCU's band marching at the intersection at Roxboro Road & Pettigrew Streets in Durham
Homecoming by Durham-born-and-raised artist Ernie Barnes

This week we're focusing on Black artists and some of the resources available to you through the 91制片厂Pro Library's collections to highlight Black history and accomplishments. Keep reading for books, streaming video, and some options to go see Black art up close (and for free).

The Main Campus Library has a collection of books about art and artists in the N section of the downstairs stacks.

Check out our for resources on online and , which includes some of our excellent local art spaces and museums.

, the documentary Black Is the Color by Jacques Goldstein "tells the story of how African American artists took back their image, from the abolition of slavery to the present day" and is presented in a chronological format, tracing Black art through the decades.

Also , HBO's documentary Black Art: In the Absence of Light "shines a light on [the groundbreaking Two Centuries of Black American Art exhibition curated by the late African American artist and scholar David Driskell in 1976 and its] extraordinary impact on generations of African American artists who have staked a claim on their rightful place within the 21st-century art world."

To watch these documentaries at home, log in with your 91制片厂Pro username and password (same as for Self-Service or Sakai).

ernest and ruth by hank willis thomas, an outdoor sculpture consisting of two speech bubbles in black metal
judith and holofernes by kehinde wiley, a painting of a black woman with the head of a white individual with long brown hair on a vibrant floral background
the gulf stream (after winslow homer) by stacey lynn waddell, a watercolor painting of a boat, leaning to the side, in choppy blue waves
Three Graces: Les Trois Femmes Noires by mickalene thomas, a multi-media work with three black women dressed to go out toasting each other

has both indoor and outdoor exhibitions that are free and open to the public, including works by portraitist Kehinde Wiley (who painted President Obama's portrait) and mixed-media contemporary artists Stacey Lynn Waddell, Mickalene Thomas, and Hank Willis Thomas, among others.

currently has free admission for everyone and also has work by Kehinde Wiley (in the European collection as a nod to his reimagining of the postures of the old masters of European portraiture) and an upcoming exhibit highlighting art that approaches ecological concerns from a cultural perspective.

in Durham has been closed for renovation, but plans to reopen in February 2023. Their collections are also available to browse for free. Stop in and see their over 1300 permanent pieces or .

And if you're planning a trip to Washington, D.C., be sure to explore the .

Titus Kaphar creates art that critically engages with American history and how Black Americans are ignored from the historical narrative. explore the role art can have in bringing these omissions back to light and facilitate conversations.

Titus Kaphar's TED Talks: Can art amend history? and Can beauty open our hearts to difficult conversations?
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Black History Month