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EXHIBIT RECEPTION: February 6, 5-7 PM in the Main Gallery
The Irving Black Arts Council and Irving Arts Center present an exhibition that surveys the works of African American artists, with original pieces dating back to the early 19th century.
200 Years of African American Art: The Arthur Primas Collection features art work from more than 30 of the nation’s most influential African American artists, including Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, Aaron Douglas, Charles White, Edward Mitchell Bannister and Elizabeth Catlett.
The more than 90 pieces in the exhibition are drawn from the private collection of Arthur Primas – a collection that includes more than 300 original works of art by African American artists. The exhibition at the Irving Arts Center marks the first time that his collection has been available for public view.
200 Years of African American Art features a variety of works including paintings, sculptures, works on paper, graphics and documents, dating back as far as 1802. The exhibition includes early landscapes and pastoral scenes by Grafton Tyler Brown (1841 – 1918) and Edward Mitchell Bannister (1828 – 1901); modernist-style sculptures by Elizabeth Catlett including Torso and Stargazer; 10 works of art by Charles White (1918 – 1979) including a piece from his ‘Wanted’ series – Wanted Poster #5 – inspired by slavery-era wanted posters; and several collages from Romare Bearden (1911 – 1988) including Mecklenburg Autumn and Pilate (Misty Island).
Other notable works include a rare painting by Aaron Douglas (1899 – 1979) and several pieces by Jacob Lawrence (1917 – 2000). Douglas’ painting Haitian Scene depicts a serene Haitian countryside and is a departure from his signature, ultra modern style. In similar theme, two works by Lawrence - To Preserve Their Freedom and General Toussaint L’Ouverture – are featured in the exhibition. The works are from his 41-piece series depicting the liberation of Haiti by General L’Ouverture in the 1790s.
In addition to the works from the Primas collection, 200 Years of African American Art also features a selection of art and artifacts from the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, New York Public Library. Items include paintings by Aaron Douglas, Charles Alston, Palmer Hayden, Malvin Gray Johnson and Archibald Motley along with sculptures by Selma Burke, Meta Warrick Fuller and Augusta Savage.
Exhibition organized by Landau Traveling Exhibitions, Los Angeles, in association with the Heritage Gallery, Los Angeles. On loan from the Arthur Primas Collection.
Gallery Hours:
Mon, Tues, Wed and Fri: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Thursday: 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: 1:00-5:00 p.m.
Celebrate the Harlem Renaissance with the Irving Black Arts Council and the Irving Arts Center. Click here to view the brochure.