Fri, 30 Jan 2026 04:22:26 -0500WeeblyMon, 25 Aug 2014 19:02:42 GMThttps://www.africanamericanarts.org/visual-arts/nccu-department-of-art-celebrates-its-75th-anniversaryThis year marks the 75th anniversary of the Department of Art at North Carolina Central University.  To recognize this milestone, the University has planned a year of celebration.  Melvin Carver, Art Professor and former Department Chair, is leading the anniversary committee.  “The Department of Art faculty and NCCU administrators are proud of their talented alumni that are thriving in the art and design communities throughout the nation.”  The anniversary events will bring together alumni, students and the local community to engage in educational, artistic and social activities.  In addition to showcasing the accomplishments of alumni and faculty, the events will help to increase foundation support and build a more secure financial base for the Department.  

Almost 20 years after North Carolina Central University was founded, Dr. James Shepard appointed Marion Parham Cordice as the Director of Art Studies.  In 1977, NCCU opened an art museum that has become well known for its significant art exhibitions and extensive collection which includes masterpieces from artists such as Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett and Barkley Hendricks.  According to the current Museum Director Kenneth Rodgers, “The act of collecting and preserving objects is at the center of the NCCU Art Museum’s domain and this must continue.” 

Over the years, NCCU Department of Art has published more than 40 educational pieces and exhibition catalogs.  In 2002, a publication was named “Catalog of the Year” by the NC Museum’s Council.   Notable alumni include artists Ernie Barnes, Willie Nash, Ivey Hayes, Beverly McIver and Stephen Hayes.  Alumni have also become successful educators, graphic designers, photographers, art consultants and gallery owners.

Today the NCCU Department of Art is headed by Connie Floyd.  Visual communications and digital art are strengths of the department.  Former Department Chair, Melvin Carver began a study-abroad program with the University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana.  

The NCCU Department of Art’s anniversary events will highlight the accomplishments of alumni and faculty.  The celebration will begin in September with the opening of the Isabel Chicquor Tribute exhibition.  The late Chicquor, a former NCCU professor, was a nationally recognized artist of photography, drawing and sculpture.  In November, the NCCU Art Museum will present an exhibition of artwork by alumni.  Additional anniversary events will include a wine and painting workshop as well as a series of lectures and receptions.   The final event will be a banquet with a silent auction of art donated by current and retired faculty as well as local artists.

The anniversary events will provide the department with funds to increase student scholarships, expand the Art Museum and grow its staff.   Kenneth Rodgers noted that the NCCU Department of Art and Museum “should continue to play a significant education role in the university community and beyond, teaching African American art history and providing exhibitions to introduce students to the best examples of African American artist’s work”.   Support from alumni and the community is critical to ensuring this institution can continue to thrive for another 75 years.  For more information about anniversary events, visit www.nccu.edu/artmuseum.  
]]>Tue, 24 Jun 2014 19:50:01 GMThttps://www.africanamericanarts.org/visual-arts/experience-african-and-african-american-art-at-the-nasher-museum-of-artIn order to truly appreciate a people, a culture, a spirit, you should visit an art museum.  If you want to view amazing African and African American art, you can find it at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University in Durham, NC.   

Since the Nasher Museum opened in 2005, it has had a commitment to works by artists of African descent.  This is in stark contrast to most mainstream art museums.  The Center of the Future of Museums, issued a report that “paints a troubling picture of the ‘probable future’ — a future in which, if trends continue in their current grooves, museum audiences (will be) radically less diverse than the American public.” Despite industry acknowledgement of this issue, many museums continue to ignore the African American community.  But the Nasher Museum has a different approach. 

“We are dedicated to exhibiting and collecting works by artists of African descent,” said Trevor Schoonmaker, Chief Curator at the Nasher Museum. “Our goal is to position this work within a diverse, global context of contemporary art. In this way, we feel we can be both artistically and socially impactful, as well as be a leader among museums in the United States. This is one of several things we do, but it is a priority for us. Durham is a very fitting community for this work, as the population is about 40 percent African American and there are numerous scholars who specialize in the field in the area.”

Each year the Nasher Museum has an exhibition that features African or African American art.  Currently, the Museum is presenting Sound Vision: Contemporary Art from the Collection.  This exhibition, on view until August 3, features paintings, works on paper, photography, video, installation and sculpture.

The Nasher Museum hosts programs that will appeal to visitors of all backgrounds.   On July 24 at 7 pm the Nasher will present the film, Half of a Yellow Sun, a drama that takes place in Nigeria’s Biafran War.   Admission is free. Other programs include lectures, receptions, performances, family activities and exhibition tours.

As a part of Duke University, an important mission of the Nasher Museum is to educate Duke students as well as those from area schools.  Students’ ability to see their images and experiences reflected in art at the Museum will help them build a sense of pride, foster an interest in the arts as well as encourage a new generation of diverse artists. 

More than 100,000 people visit the Nasher Museum of Art each year.  If you love African and African American art, you should definitely be one of them.  For more information about art in the Triangle, visit www.trianglefaaa.com. 

]]>Sun, 25 May 2014 19:11:57 GMThttps://www.africanamericanarts.org/visual-arts/the-durham-civil-rights-history-mural-more-than-a-work-of-artHow do we honor those who have sacrificed for us?  How do we remember and continue to tell their stories?  In Durham there is a new public art mural project that hopes to do just that.  Today when students are taught about the civil rights movement they learn about Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. who have both become larger than life.  And yet the movement was built by those who live among us.   According to the Project Director Brenda Miller Holmes, “The goal of this mural is to celebrate the hundreds of Durham citizens whose feet were on the ground and to commemorate the incredible sacrifices that were made to create social change in our country.” 

The 2,400 square foot mural will be located in Downtown Durham near Durham’s History Hub and a stop on Durham’s civil rights history tour.  The project is an innovative collaborative process that is engaging the Durham community, its historians, artists and voices from the past.  Long after the paint dries on the wall, the education will continue through a multimedia component that will include a short documentary, a booklet and an interactive website.  

The mural project began with a series of community workshops with historians and Durham residents who were involved in the civil rights movement.   Then thirty Durham residents ages 15 – 65 with diverse backgrounds and varying degrees of artistic experience, came together to design the mural.  This summer the community will be invited to participate in creating the mural itself.

Primary funding for the project came from the City of Durham, however, the size and scope has grown and additional funds are now needed.  Since the work has already begun, raising money has been a race against time to ensure the mural is successfully completed.

The mural project has already had a significant impact on its participants.  Hillside High School Student DeMarcus Boone said: “This project has aided me in building character and artistic skills. I love the unique feel of a community of various cultures combining to develop a piece of art.”  Retired Art Educator Faye Brandon observed:  “I think it is powerful to leave a visual legacy for the community.  Hopefully, this visual will spark curiosity from the ones too young to remember and create an opportunity to talk with the ones who do remember.”  

The Durham Civil Rights History Mural Project is about more than just a work of art.  It is about the community taking pride in its history as well as remembering that by working together we are stronger than any one individual.  We have the ability to make positive change in our communities.  To provide much needed support for the project, visit www.brendamillerholmes.com.]]>