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Black Art—Ancestral Legacy: The African Impulse in African American Art
Initiation—Liberia, by Lois Mailou Jones, 1983. Acrylic on canvas. Collection of the artist. Photograph by Tom Jenkins, Dallas Museum of Art.
Black Art—Ancestral Legacy: The African Impulse in African American Art is a photographic exhibition that addresses the question first posed by African American poet Countee Cullen in 1926: "What is Africa to me?" This exhibition provides a number of examples from twentieth century African American artists—both trained and untrained—that visually respond to this question. These modern artists draw heavily on African influence, while simultaneously reinterpreting it for a different time and place. The result is a lively and vibrant mix of artworks.
Exhibition
Black Art—Ancestral Legacy features the work of forty-five artists, including unknown Africans and Haitians, through fifty-four photographs, two color posters, and concise texts. Panel topics include:
- Captivity and slavery
- Faces and masks
- African physiognomy
- Turtles and snakes
- Dancers
- Mutiny
- Spiritual blessings
- Talismanic carvings and paintings
- Metal sculptures
- Ritual poses, masks, and details
- Music, dance, and carnival
View Black Art—Ancestral Legacy on Humanities Interactive
Exhibition formats
Black Art—Ancestral Legacy is available in two formats:
Format |
Freestanding (Copy 1) |
Language |
English |
Content |
10 double-sided panels (26" x 36 ") Support legs |
Space Requirements |
91 square feet of floor space (13' x 7') |
Shipping weight and dimensions |
Travels in 1 wood crate, 1 plastic case:
|
Rental Period |
4 weeks |
Rental Fee* |
$300 |
Format |
Freestanding (Copy 2) |
Language |
English |
Content |
10 double-sided panels (26" x 36 ") Support legs |
Space Requirements |
91 square feet of floor space (13' x 7') |
Shipping weight and dimensions |
Travels in 1 wood crate, 1 plastic case:
|
Rental Period |
4 weeks |
Rental Fee* |
$300 |
*Rental fees are based primarily on the cost of shipping. Prices may vary based on current fuel surcharges or venue location within the state of Texas. Out-of-state rentals are priced on an individual basis. Please call for a rental fee quote specific to your venue.
Print materials
A specified number of brochures and posters are provided with this exhibition at no additional cost. Additional copies of these materials may be obtained for a nominal fee:
-
50 brochures with an essay from the major exhibition
-
5 posters
Publicity materials
Press release
| Black Art—Ancestral Legacy press release | doc |
Publicity images
Publicity images are available for promoting this exhibition at your venue. Please contact the exhibitions coordinator to request an electronic file of this image.
Humanities Texas logos
Venues may request a CD with the Humanities Texas logo in a number of electronic file formats for use when developing print and and online promotional materials. Logo files are also available for download from our website.
Optional resources
Additional resources are available to your venue for no cost upon request:
-
Black Art—Ancestral Legacy short documentary; VHS (23 min);
Available in English.
Other resources
To enhance your exhibition programming, the following media resources are available for rent:
-
Art of Haiti; VHS; English
-
Art of the Dogon; VHS; English
-
Black History/Black Vision: The Visionary Image in Texas;
VHS; English -
Black Women Artists: A Coming Together; VHS; English
-
Chuck Davis, Dancing Through West Africa; VHS; English
-
From These Roots; VHS; English
-
Music of Africa; VHS; English
-
A Spiritual Ordering: The Metal Arts of Africa; VHS; English
-
Zajota and the Boogie Spirit; VHS; English