Black Art Project (BAP) Booklist 3

This third list, in a continuing series, highlights recently published books that have an African American art focus. As stated in earlier releases, June 9, 2010 and September 24, 2010, identifying titles as they are recently published or in pre-publication status is crucial for those building a library that has some focus on African American art because of the small print runs in which these titles are published. With this publishing trend in mind, it is advisable to purchase them shortly after they have been published to assure yourself that the titles that you are interested in have not gone out of print. When a title does go out of print, the secondary market becomes a viable option; however, you must then weigh cost and condition differences among the few dealers that may have a copy for sale. 

The following post and the addendum of recent publications are simply a few  new titles that have been released since the last Booklist:   

• Clearwater, Bonnie. Shinique Smith: Menagerie. North Miami, Florida: Museum of Contemporary Art and Madison, Wisconsin: Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, 2010.

This is a catalogue for Shinique Smith: Menagerie, an exhibition held at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), North Miami from September 16 -November 19, 2010, and at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, January 22 - May 8, 2011.  The exhibition was made possible by the MOCA Knight Exhibition Endowment. In her first large-scale museum exhibition, multimedia artist Shinique Smith "builds on previous museum installations to present a major exhibition that includes works on paper, paintings, and three-dimensional works from the breadth of her career."

• Color Exploration: Simplicity in the Art of McArthur Binion. Adelphi, Maryland: University of Maryland University College, 2010.

This exhibition catalogue that accompanied the exhibition, Color Exploration in the Art of McArthur Binion, illustrates the artist's quest to make his medium a recognizable art form. As it relates to an art movement defining the artist's work, Binion states "The movement where art historians would classify my work would be abstract expressionism. However, I don't think that is the movement for me. For me, the movement has not been named."

Binion use of crayons grew from his desire to break tradition; it became important to him to do something different. Hear his full story in the insightful conversation between the artist, McArthur Binion and Eric Key, the Director of the Arts Program, University of Maryland University College in the exhibition catalogue. Included in the 24-page catalogue is an Exhibition Checklist, as well as approximately 29 selected color plate images of art included in the exhibition. 

See Art images from the exhibition and catalogue that appear in Color Exploration in the Art of McArthur Binion. For more information on acquiring the catalogue, please call: 301-985-7937.

• Lewis, Sarah E. Romare Bearden: Idea to Realization. New York: D C Moore Gallery, 2011.

The catalogue was published on the occasion of the exhibition, Romare Bearden: Idea to Realization, which was on view at the D C Moore Gallery from February 3 - March 12, 2011. The exhibition featured a rare and vibrant group of maquettes for murals, mosaics, book jackets, and other projects. Most of them were presented for the first time. Ralph Sessions' discussion of the maquettes that blend paint, abstracted cut-paper elements, and photographic images in the customary Bearden style is accompanied with images.  

Romare Bearden, Bessie, Duke, and Louis, c .1981,
Collage on fiberboard, 12¼" x 43"

The front cover of the exhibition catalogue features the right corner  image of Louis Armstrong that appears in the "Bessie, Duke, and Louis" collage; the back cover features the image of Bessie Smith. The full collage is featured as a foldout inside the catalogue.     

• Protégé: Sam Gilliam and Kevin Cole. Charlotte, North Carolina: Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture, 2010.                                                                                                              
  This exhibition catalogue, consisting of 40 pages, highlights the works of the two featured artists, capturing their creative spirit and artistic relationship both as individuals and collaborators. The works featured not only celebrate the relationship of mentor and protégé, but demonstrates the importance of the mentoring process for both individuals. The catalogue includes color illustrations throughout, as well as sections devoted to Plates and the Exhibition Checklist.
  
  To secure a copy of this title, contact the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Art and Culture (Charlotte, North Carolina) inquire at 704/ 547-3700 or by email to info@ganttcenter.org.

Lisa Farrington: Art Historian Talk

Lisa Farrington & African American Women's Art from Lauren Mucciolo on Vimeo.

Black Women Artists        Limited Resources    

Racism and Myths       Visual Stereotypes     

Positive Propaganda      Political Tool

Further Readings:
The Black Arts Movement
The Feminist Movement in Art
Andy Warhol Foundation: Arts Writers...Program (Lisa Farrington, 2009 Grantee for book, Emma Amos: Art as Lagacy)