The Three-Piece

Artists by the Numbers

Three works of art. Two minutes each. One artist.

The Three-Piece.

3… Three works. Straight outta the collections of Black Art In America comes three compelling pieces of art for this week, including House of Shango, The Farmer, and Interior.

2… Two minutes. We encourage you to take at least two minutes to view each of these works, study them, and connect with them. See which ones speak to you, challenge you, and-or inspire you.

1… One artist. The artist behind today’s works is the iconic Dr. Samella Lewis. As an artist, educator, scholar, curator, writer, administrator, editor, filmmaker, and collector. Lewis has played a crucial role in the development in most every aspect of African American Art.  In Los Angeles, Lewis is known as the founder of the Museum of African American Art where she served a chief curator from the museum’s inception in 1976 through 1986.  Lewis also founded The Gallery at Scripps College where she was a professor (1969–1984). Scripps honored Lewis, a Professor Emerita, with the creation of the Samella Lewis Contemporary Art Collection. In 1996, Lewis explained her professorial and curatorial philosophy, “Black women are nurturers. We nurture our families by seriously listening to and seriously considering what they tell us. We also have an obligation to see that valuing and collecting contemporary art is a significant aspect of nurturing.  We must familiarize ourselves with our historical and contemporary art in order to understand and know ourselves.”

Okay, now that you’ve been briefed, we’re gonna hit ya with The Three-Piece:

“Interior” by Dr. Samella Lewis 21 1/2 x16 1/2 inches hand embellished digital print, Edition: 1 1996 — unframed

“House of Shango” by Dr. Samella Lewis 24″ x 18″, lithograph on paper, edition 60, (1992) –unframed

“The Farmer” by Dr. Samella Lewis 40” x 22” Serigraph, Edition: 60 — unframed (2006)

Shop Works By Lewis

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