Milwaukee Art Museum’s Post

DISCOVER THE UNTOLD STORIES OF BLACK ARTISTS 🎨   This is an article that has taken me a long time to put together. Tackling a subject as critical as Black art, its ramifications, roots, and problems cannot be condensed into a 6-page article and then pretend to magically solve it. After writing my article and giving it to my wife to proofread (shoutout to her!!!! She has been helping me with these articles and giving her opinion from the beginning 🥰) she confirmed what I already knew,… this article lacked soul. But while discussing this topic she mentioned to me that she had just read a book on Black Art entitled "BLK ART: THE AUDACIOUS Legacy of Black Artists and Models in Western Art" by Zaria Ware.   Apparently, history is replete with Black artists, creators of magnificent works that never achieved the renown or recognition they are due, during their lifetime. However, right after their death, retrospective collections begin to flourish and major museums begin to cash in on the works of posthumous artists. It seems that the Smithsonian Institution (as well as several private museums and collections) houses a vast amount of the works of these artists - most of them self-taught - instead of the recently opened African American Museum that should be collecting them.   The common thread in the lives of all these artists is that they were never recognized in their time, and although several of them had to emigrate to Europe to be able to practice and display their works before a more receptive audience, racism and discrimination has been permeating the art industry for centuries, and they did not escape its tentacles on the other side of the Atlantic either. Almost all of them died in poverty and misery.   And this story is no exception. If we were to remove all the art in the great museums of the Western world that has been produced by Black artists, we would hear the crickets chirping in the aisles. We don't realize what our culture has produced over the millennia, and the reason those museums don't want to return stolen pieces is clear: money. Money that the legitimate creators never received during their lifetime.   But change is possible, and technology can pave the way. Join me in reading this revised article, which now embodies the passion and spirit of these artists. Let's shine a light on their remarkable creations.   If you know an artist facing challenges, share this article with them. Together, we can help them find hope and inspiration. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this piece. Let's keep this conversation alive!   #BlackArt #BlkArtMatters #ArtWorldChange #ArtInnovation #InspireArtists   https://lnkd.in/dDccapQX

Tracking the Evolution of Black Excellence in Arts and Entertainment: The arts and entertainment industry represents one of the leading economic sectors worldwide. With a strong influence on both culture and economy, the industry is composed of a diverse slate of creatives that power not only the products of the sector, but also the experience of life itself. Within this success, much of the development of modern-day art and entertainment can be attributed to the influence, contributions and innovation of Black artists. Taking place in Dubai on February 27, 2024, the third edition of the Global Black Impact Summit (GBIS) delves into the achievements of Black individuals and organizations across sectors, which could not be better illustrated than by the history of Black talent in the global arts and entertainment industry. The Summit marks a celebration of #BlackExcellence and features a comprehensive program of workshops, seminars, networking functions and presentations aimed at catalyzing new collaboration across disciplines. Black creatives have played an integral part in shaping the global arts and entertainment space. Starting with the Harlem Renaissance in the US from the 1920s to 1930s, the movement represented an intellectual and cultural revival of Black art, literature, music, dance, fashion and scholarship, and laid the foundation from which much of […] The post Tracking the Evolution of Black Excellence in Arts and Entertainment first appeared on Future Media.

You are looking at the yin and yang of social change. If you do not know Osa Atoe, you been missing out.  Sis is a punk’ rockin’ ceramist whose work is among the most elegant, consistent, and resonant I have seen.  She is deeply generative and curates Kaabo Clay Collective, a mutual aid network for Black ceramic artists around the world. My organizational systems change work is in a different media.  It too includes lots of reshaping, collapsing, and heat to shape vessels for change.  We too get messy in the process.  Like Osa, I cannot see myself doing anything else. We’ve had a clay-ship for a few years and finally had the opportunity to meet this week when I was in Sarasota, Florida.  Having had a few Zoom meetings and phone calls, we were not new to each other and fell right into step.  I got to visit her studio, meet her family, and break bread as we explored so many dimensions of what it means to be a self-possessed Black woman. To all of us Sistahs out here doing this creative work - whatever it may look like- please do not forget to bring beauty in your life daily.  Partnerships with other creatives brings ease, grace, and durability to what can otherwise become a grind. Agreed? Who are some of the like-minded creatives in your life? Tag them below. #BlackWomen #Creativity #Art #RacialEquity #Inclusion #Belonging

Here is a recent article from a YSU student relating too black history month, accessibility, and much more there are a couple quotes in the article where i mention the significance of how aria has impacted my artistic journey. https://lnkd.in/gS3wCiXt

I enjoyed writing this article, exploring and interconnecting the importance of the arts and policy. "The arts contribute more to communities than public displays for residents to admire. Art and policy intertwine past the artistic realm and can be an investment into a community’s economic, social and educational vitality. The arts can take many forms and depict many themes, voices and faces, as well as bring awareness to issues." https://lnkd.in/e7GAwMTG

Youth | Mental Health | Community | Black/POC Creatives & Artists Can't choose and wanna support all of the above, then vote for our two #PanelPicker proposals: SXSW EDU 2024 Reggie Rap's Mental Health Art Installation: Attendees will be immersed in an interactive mental health driven, art installation that will feature a range of artistic emotions and catharsis. The interactive portion will have a beat-making station and a sound recording booth, courtesy of Vera Box, where attendees will be instructed on how to make a solid beat/track and how to write and structure their own song . Then they will go into the booth and record their lyrics over the beats they have created to then download and take with them. This installation is meant to educate on the importance of mental health through creativity and art. https://lnkd.in/gvKfYUWT SXSW 2024 Black Creators Happy Hour & Artist Exhibit: Being a creator in the current economy can be difficult; especially if you are a historically marginalized creator. Success is built, not only on talent alone, but also with a strong community and network. Join us for our art showcase & happy hour as we support and build a community of Black creatives from all levels and backgrounds to further advance our Black creator economy. There will also include short discussions about important and relevant topics:  Intersectionality - advancing Black creative economy & community  Creative Cross Pollination - how to better support & collaborate https://lnkd.in/gpedmDGQ

Today isn't just about celebration; #Juneteenth commemorates freedom delayed and the struggle for equality that persists today. As professionals, it's crucial to understand the historical context of Juneteenth and its relevance to our workplaces. It's a reminder of the systemic barriers that have hindered Black talent from fully participating and thriving in the workforce. As we reflect on this day, let's also consider our roles in creating inclusive environments where everyone, regardless of race, can feel valued and empowered. Juneteenth challenges us to confront uncomfortable truths about our society and workplaces. It calls us to advocate for equity and justice not just in our words but in our actions. It's about actively supporting diversity initiatives, amplifying marginalized voices, and promoting policies that dismantle discrimination. Today, let's honor Juneteenth by committing ourselves to fostering workplaces where diversity is celebrated, inclusivity is the norm, and every individual has the opportunity to succeed. This isn't just a moment to mark on the calendar or, for some, a day off; it's a call to make lasting change in the spaces we influence. #diversity #workplace

Black Futures Month, established in 2015 by the Movement for Black Lives, is a visionary, forward-looking celebration of Blackness in February. It is a time to celebrate the radical Black history, dream, and imagine a world of justice and liberation. The future of Black love is envisioned as divine, multi-dimensional, and guided by spiritual connections and sacred frequencies. It requires constructing a caring, soft, self-determined culture of self-love and bodily autonomy. This celebration includes the release of customizable Black love tarot cards designed by illustrator Alexis Nicole Neely, sent to those who manifest love beyond romance, binaries, and capitalism. The theme of Black Music and Expression has been explored during Black History/Futures Month, acknowledging the transformative impact of Black music and expression on global culture. This exploration includes the stories of individual changemakers and hosting assemblies that center joy and reflection. Afrofuturism, a concept that imagines a future void of white supremacist thought and the structures that violently enforce it, is often presented through art, music, and literature. This concept evaluates the past and future to create better conditions for the present generation of Black people. The celebration of Black Futures Month also extends to the arts, with artists like Kat Wiese using their work to start conversations and invest in cultural identity. https://lnkd.in/g36iwFw2 #blackhistorymonth #blackfuturesmonth

1967: THE SUMMER OF LOVE IN SAN FRANCISCO "The seeds of San Francisco’s 'Summer of Love' were planted the previous winter. On January 14, 1967, more than 20,000 people gathered in Golden Gate Park for the 'Human Be-In,' an event organized by a coalition of local artists and activists. Counterculture celebrities Allen Ginsberg and Timothy Leary addressed the crowd, with the latter exhorting the participants to 'turn on, tune in, drop out.' Attendees swayed to performances by the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin and Jefferson Airplane." READ MORE: https://lnkd.in/e-DmnR8S This is, of course, a big part of the myth of the sixties. And, it is indeed more myth than reality. In my new book, GROWING UP IN AMERICA'S GOLDEN AGE AND GROWING OLD IN THE AGE OF AI (due with the publisher, Cambridge Scholars Publishing at the end of September), I argue that the beginning of our long, slow decline began on 11-22-63. That's when Kennedy was shot. Two more horrific assassinations ---MLK and RFK--- would happen the year after the so-called summer of love. LBJ would trash his legacy, along with the lives of tens of thousands of young American men, with his war in Vietnam. And we still had Nixon and Watergate to anticipate. If the sixties are worth remembering, it's for the advances in civil rights, thanks (ironically) in large measure to the same Lyndon Johnson who would then become a despised liar. And for the anti-war movement that eventually united Americans in the cause of truth and justice. Summer of love? More aptly the summer of drugs... an effete distraction at most.

Since the Harlem Renaissance, Black women have shaped the culture uptown: In 1948, Jean Blackwell Hutson was appointed curator at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and in 1968, Dr. Barbara Ann Teer founded the National Black Theatre. Yet only now are the majority of the neighborhood’s most prominent theaters and museums being simultaneously led by Black women — women who are fortifying and expanding their organizations despite funding cuts for libraries and arts programs and the rapid gentrification of their community. Black culture is often recognized as important only in retrospect; consider the recent opening of “The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, an amendment to its famously disgraceful 1969 exhibition on the same subject. But further uptown, you’ll find a group of women in charge. Their institutions are flourishing, creating new infrastructure while growing their audiences, and this cohort is focused as much on preserving Black history as they are on building Harlem’s future. -Thelma Golden, director and chief curator of the Studio Museum in Harlem, leads the institution through a $300 million construction project slated to open in 2025. - Sade Lythcott, CEO of the National Black Theatre, is seeing the theater through a dazzling 21-story renovation down the block. - Michelle Ebanks, Apollo’s CEO, and executive producer, Kamilah Forbes, just opened the Victoria Theater next door to its main stage, marking the historic venue’s first expansion in its storied history. From the wisdom passed on to them by their predecessors, these women represent a powerful commitment to community development. “We have to determine — by listening to the community, by listening to the world around us — what is a story that we need to tell through the facility of this institution,” Forbes says of revitalizing the Apollo. “We have to constantly be ready to evolve.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/eu4aVJxD #BlackWomenLead #BlackCulture #BlackLeadership