Current Exhibitions Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney Through September 9, 2012 This retrospective exhibition traces illustrator Jerry Pinkney's 50-year career producing some of the most highly acclaimed children's books of our time. A popular and critically acclaimed artist, Jerry Pinkney was recently presented with the prestigious Caldecott Medal, awarded to the illustrator of the most distinguished American picture book for children that year. The recipient of five Caldecott Honor Medals, five Coretta Scott King Awards, four Coretta Scott King Honor Awards, and a lifetime achievement award from the Society of Illustrators in New York, the artist has also served on the Board of the National Endowment for the Arts, and on the National Postal Service's Citizen Stamp Advisory Council. "Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney" has been organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Click here to learn more... Moving to His Own Beat - Fela: The Man, The Movement, The Music Through November, 2012 Created in partnership with Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts, this exhibit examines the life of Nigerian superstar Fela Kuti in the realms of music, culture, and politics, and preludes the arrival of the off-Broadway smash musical, Fela!, in February, 2012. Fela's undying passion for African peoples, understanding of the power of art and politics, and unyielding struggle against the colonial forces in Nigeria during the 1950s and 1960s, solidified his legacy as a shimmering agent of change against the status quo. He spoke out against the ruling government, returned to African traditions that had been interrupted during Colonialism, and brilliantly used his music as a medium for social change. Always pushing the envelope, Fela infused traditional African highlife music with classical jazz and funk, which evolved into a unique sound that he called, "Afrobeat." The powerful music and social commentary found throughout his vast catalogue of recordings is indicative of his desire to help end oppression among African peoples everywhere. Click here to learn more... The Chris Webber Collection: Exceptional People During Extraordinary Times, 1755 - Present Through November, 2012 Chris Webber, Detroit native, National Basketball Association All-Star player (retired) and NBA announcer, collects rare artifacts that illuminate the lives and legacies of African American greats such as Phillis Wheatley, the first African American author; Rosa Parks , mother of the modern civil rights movement; civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and many others. Viewers get a glimpse of their heritage and learn about a different facet of Chris Webber, basketball player, philanthropist, and collector of African American history. Click here to learn more... Great American Artists - Part II: The Branches Through September 2, 2012 This yearlong exhibition features the works of a consortium of Detroit artists in a three-part series subtitled, "Roots, Branches, and Seeds." During the past several years, each artist has collaborated to complete a portrait of a group member and to document each other's studio processes, techniques and themes. This cooperative provides the group a means of documenting and preserving each artist's image and their careers. Exhibiting second are Christopher Batten, Halima Cassels and Senghor Reid who form the "Branches" of the group. They have used inspiration derived from the "Roots" to create murals, installations and large figurative works worldwide. Their work explores environmental issues and the communities in which they live. Click here to learn more... |
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