Black Art in America Gifts 15 Works of Art to the Columbus Museum
“Spring Mood series #3” by Richard Mayhew, watercolor
BLACK ART IN AMERICA™ (BAIA), the leading online portal and network focused on African American Art in the nation, announces its donation of 15 works of art to The Columbus Museum. The compelling works are rendered by an array of prominent master and contemporary African American artists. The generous gift is part of BAIA’s ongoing effort to ensure the works of African American artists are represented in the nation’s public institutions.
The collection boasts pieces from some of the country’s leading Black visual artists including Richard Mayhew, Kerry James Marshall, Richard Hunt, Elizabeth Catlett, Robert Colescott, David Driskell, Robert Pruitt, Louis Delsarte, Delita Martin, Nick Cave, Alfred Conteh, Khalif Thompson, Charles Criner, Jamaal Barber and Brittney Leeanne Williams.
Terrence by Alfred Conteh
“Despite everything, we’ve had a great year as a company and my wife, Seteria, and I want to share our abundance and our love for the works we’ve collected over the years with deserving public institutions like The Columbus Museum,” said BAIA founder/CEO, Najee Dorsey. The Columbus Museum’s 2015 presentation of Dorsey’s first solo museum show “Leaving Mississippi: Reflections on Heroes and Folklore” was a milestone for the emerging artist and a testament to the museum’s ongoing promotion of artists of color and their works. Black Art In America, noted Dorsey, is currently “based in Columbus, so the donation is a way of giving back while furthering our mission as a company to document, preserve and promote the contributions of the African American arts community.”
“We are delighted to accept this group of works by African American artists, as it aligns with our ongoing efforts to diversify the collection,” said Marianne Richter, Director of The Columbus Museum. “In addition, the Museum’s holdings are less strong in prints overall; this donation will help us address that need. The artists represented are many of the top names in late 20th- and 21st-century art and we look forward to sharing this important gift with our visitors and the wider community.”
The works are scheduled to be on view at The Columbus Museum as part of their 2022 calendar year.
“The Dorsey gift to the Columbus Museum is significant in that gifts like these continue to make their way to major institutions from Black collectors. For decades Black collectors were the primary foundational support for Black artists, just as Black scholars were the foundational base for Black art history. Beyond the fact that the works reflect the artists acumen, they reflect that history as Dorsey’s Black Art in America is a leading repository for Black art, Black artists, and collectors alike.
Works such as the Richard Mayhew and the Richard Hunt demonstrate the mastery and the longevity of Black abstraction in painting, print making, and sculpture. The Kerry James Marshall and Robert Colescott exhibit how Black cultural history makes for outstanding paintings and print work. The Elizabeth Catlett and David Driskell represent our authority, as both dedicated their lives to the advancement of Black art. They were both teachers for the majority of their careers and fought to permeate major museums collections. The Alfred Conteh, Robert Pruitt, and Delita Martin demonstrate the power of Black portraiture and the importance of Black subjectivity in art. This gift provides the Columbus Museum a great foundation upon which to build both its works on paper collection and its vision to bring art and history to life.” – Dr. Kelli Morgan
Since 2010, Black Art in America (www.blackartinamerica.com) has recorded and championed the substantial contributions of the African American arts community.
Reviewing gifted works with Marianne and staff
