Friday Feelings 10/21/22

Black Artists on Art: Past, Present, and Future

Each Friday, I’ll share my feelings on some thing(s) that could be considered relevant to the Sacramento region’s art community. Duly note that all feelings expressed are my own.

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There are only two days left to visit the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, CA for Black Artists on Art: Past, Present, and Future. A month-long exhibiton featuring the work of forty-one Black artists working within a broad range of style, medium, subject matter, and skill levels. The highlight of the exhibtion are the works from canonical Black artists Samella Lewis, Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, Benny Andrews, Ruth Waddy, Elizabeth Catlett, and Charles White in direct dialogue and physical space with regional contemporary Black artists Keia Kodama, Shonna McDaniels, Beth Rubel, William Rhodes, Deborah Pittman, Mark Teemer Jr., Karen Seneferu, Unity Lewis, and Joha Harrison among many others including several youth artists.

Yes, the gallery is a limited capacity, dimly lit, and hard to navigate space next to Tot Land in the original 1872 Crocker family mansion also known as the Student & Community Exhibitions gallery. I took a walkthrough with the exhibition’s organizer and curator, my friend, visual artist, musican, historian, and grandson of Dr. Samella Lewis, discussing among other things, the space that was provided for this exhibition by the Museum and its leadership.

installation view of Mother and Child (2007) Samella Lewis, Together We Stand (1997) Samella Lewis, and Falling Star (1980) Romare Bearden

Friday Feelings: Each of these artists were presented with an opportunity to exhibit in a nationally recognized art museum alongside some of the nation’s most significant Black artists of the 20th century, and what artist would actually say “no” to exhibiting their work in any museum.

I’ve noticed more than a few commentators (on the substandard location and poor lighting) on social media, but without actually mentioning @crockerart they have avoided any substantial institutional critique. It is healthy for our arts community to engage in critical discourse with an institution that is designed to serve us. It is problematic to ventilate our frustration onto the artists, organizers, curators, volunteers (installing the exhibition), and security guards without sharing those same sentiments with the institution (customerservice@crockerart.org) which is largely funded and supported by the City of Sacramento.

You could advocate for the 10th iteration of BAOA, inviting the current exhibiting artists back into the well lit, architecturally distinguished, large second and third floor galleries on the “new side” of the Museum with additional support from a W.A.G.E ceritifed installation team, diverse public programming, and the same allocation of marketing resources in promoting and documenting as the other exhibitions throughout the Museum.

Also, consider collecting from these living artists. Contact Unity Lewis (unitylewisartsandent@gmail.com) or reach out to the artist directly to purchase the work included in the exhibtion.

It would be monumental if the Museum acquired atleast one of the emerging Black artist’s work for the its ever-expanding and historically relevant permanent collection. That is something the Crocker could do worth celebrating!

note: I always capitalize the “B” when referencing Black folks from the African diaspora.

disclaimer: I was a Community Engagement Coordinator at the Crocker Art Museum from 2019-2021 and it was an experience and story that can’t be contained in today’s Friday Feelings.

‘til next Friday! xo, Faith