{"id":3859,"date":"2018-08-08T00:35:28","date_gmt":"2018-08-08T00:35:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/media-archive.blackartinamerica.com\/?p=3859"},"modified":"2018-12-22T19:59:29","modified_gmt":"2018-12-22T19:59:29","slug":"remembering-the-national-black-fine-art-show-and-a-glimpse-at-whats-next","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/earthexhibitions.org\/media-archive\/?p=3859","title":{"rendered":"Remembering The National Black Fine Art Show And A Glimpse At What’s Next"},"content":{"rendered":"
by Shantay Robinson<\/pre>\n
\n\"\"In 1997, Josh Wainwright responded to the status quo by putting black art front and center of what for the next twelve years would be the National Black Fine Art Show. While at the start of the show\u2019s existence, it was criticized for focusing on black art, the show allowed art by black artists to gain attention by the right people \u2013 collectors of black art. Today, there are several black fine art shows in existence including Black Art in America\u2019s Fine Art Show in Philadelphia on September 14 \u2013 16.<\/span><\/p>\n
In 1999, two years after the National Black Fine Art Show had taken off, <\/span>The New York Times<\/span><\/i> reported: <\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cThe term black art is fraught with problems. It doesn’t describe a style, a period or a fixed set of ideas. It can serve equally well as political statement and sales pitch. It has been used to carve out a valuable power base for artists excluded from the mainstream, but it has also insured that the mainstream continues to flow along without them. All of these factors jostle around in the National Black Fine Art Show, now in its third year. In fact, they are one of the exhibition’s chief attractions.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
In 2000, <\/span>The New York Times<\/span><\/i> questioned \u201c<\/span>Is it a good idea to categorize art by the race of its creator?\u201d And then answered, \u201cMany artists of color would not think so.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\"\"While it might be thought that some black artists would be averse to being lumped in a category based on their race, I doubt many wouldn\u2019t understand why a move such as this one is necessary. Black fine artists have been recognized internationally for generations, but black artists still exist on the margins of the dominant art world. \u00a0Creating a specific space for black art allowed would-be collectors to be immersed in black culture and experience the richness and diversity artists of this given race could create.<\/span><\/p>\n
Housed at the Puck Building in New York City\u2019s Greenwich Village, approximately 40 vendors would promote their art of black artists from around the world. Alongside the Jacob Lawrence’s and Romare Bearden’s would be work by artists of different generations. Critics stated that the quality of the work wavered rather than remaining at a high level of excellence. They were concerned that the quality of some work didn\u2019t match the quality of the best in show. But isn\u2019t that to be expected? This diversity is what made the National Black Fine Art Show special. Collectors were able to come across the more popular artists\u2019 works to add to their collection and discover nascent talent that was yet to be refined. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n<\/span>For 12 years, the National Black Fine Art Show allowed collectors of black art to find the burgeoning black artists of the time. While the moniker \u201cblack art\u201d is all encompassing, it does relate to buyers exactly what one might be looking for. When going to a contemporary art show, one might be inclined to seek the most talked about artist of the day. But when attending a black fine art show there are multiple dimension that one can start their search to add art to their collection. Seeking out hot artists of the day might be the way to get started. But one could also seek out artists who have yet to make a name for themselves. And the piece de resistance at a black fine art show would be that either way it\u2019s sliced, another black artist would have made a sale.<\/span><\/p>\n
In 2017, Huffington Post reported that 77.6% of the artists who make a living from their artwork are white. The NEA reports that there are almost 2 million artists working in the United States, approximately 200,000 of those are fine artists, art directors, and animators. A 2016-2017 survey conducted by CUNY Guttman College reported that only 6.3% of working artists are black. So, while critics lambast the necessity of an all-black art show, black artists couldn\u2019t possibly be fairly represented by majority white art shows where they exist as mere specks of blackness in a sea of whiteness. Of course, many talented black artists who are present at majority white art shows are recognized and do sell work, but collectors looking to collect art by black artists would have a more challenging search if looking to support black artists.<\/span><\/p>\n