Collection Spotlight: Recent Acquisitions by Black Artists

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
LSU Museum of Art (LSU MOA) in Baton Rouge, LA is pleased to open a special permanent collection exhibition spotlighting recent acquisitions of works by Black artists on March 28. On view for the first time at LSU MOA will be works by Radcliffe Bailey, Whitfield Lovell, Madelyn Sneed-Grays, Mario Moore, and Gordon Parks, among other recently acquired works.

One work featured is a self-portrait titled Two Strikes by artist Madelyn Sneed-Grays. Sneed-Grays created this work in response to rarely seeing herself in artistic spaces. “Do you know what that means when a human being has two strikes? Well, let me inform you. I am black and I am a woman. Studies show that women make up just 2% of the art market and that, “artists in 18 major U.S. museums are 85% white and 87% male.” The fact that I rarely saw myself in artistic spaces that were, and still are, predominantly white is what fueled my perfectionistic ways to make certain I represent for my culture. This is what made me realize growing up, that 100% wasn’t enough and 110% was imperative. This is what made me how I am. I am black and I am a woman.”

Other works include Cada Dia by Whitfield Lovell which combines drawn figures from found images of African Americans with found objects to create a dialogue that evokes a larger history or experience, and Mario Moore’s During and After the Battle, an oil painting that addresses the timeline and presence of racial oppression and social issues from its Civil War battle scene in the background to its contemporary model in the foreground. LSU MOA will have virtual programs this summer on Zoom with artists featured for the public to learn more about their works.

These acquisitions were made possible by The Winifred and Kevin P. Reilly Initiative for Underrepresented Artists. The Winifred and Kevin P. Reilly Initiative for Underrepresented Artists supports growth of LSU Museum of Art’s permanent collection by funding acquisitions of works by Black, Indigenous, and Latinx artists, including those of marginalized sexualities, gender identities, and communities. The 500K initiative, which will continue through 2021, focused on acquiring works by Black artists in 2020.

In addition to the Winifred and Kevin Reilly Initiative for Underrepresented Artists, Collection Spotlight: Recent Acquisitions by Black Artists is supported by the generous donors to the LSU MOA Annual Exhibition Fund: Louisiana CAT; The Imo N. Brown Memorial Fund in memory of Heidel Brown and Mary Ann Brown; The Alma Lee, H.N., and Cary Saurage Fund; LSU College of Art + Design; Mr. and Mrs. Sanford A. Arst; and The Newton B. Thomas Family/Newtron Group Fund.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE REILLY INITIATIVE FOR UNDERREPRESENTED ARTISTS

ON VIEW AT LSU MOA March 28 – September 26, 2021

Curated by Courtney Taylor

LSU MOA Installation

Exhibition Lenders & Sponsors

These acquisitions were made possible by The Winifred and Kevin P. Reilly Initiative for Underrepresented Artists. The Winifred and Kevin P. Reilly Initiative for Underrepresented Artists supports growth of LSU Museum of Art’s permanent collection by funding acquisitions of works by Black, Indigenous, and Latinx artists, including those of marginalized sexualities, gender identities, and communities. The 500K initiative, which will continue through 2021, focused on acquiring works by Black artists in 2020.

In addition to the Winifred and Kevin Reilly Initiative for Underrepresented Artists, Collection Spotlight: Recent Acquisitions by Black Artists is supported by the generous donors to the LSU MOA Annual Exhibition Fund: Louisiana CAT; The Imo N. Brown Memorial Fund in memory of Heidel Brown and Mary Ann Brown; The Alma Lee, H.N., and Cary Saurage Fund; LSU College of Art + Design; Mr. and Mrs. Sanford A. Arst; and The Newton B. Thomas Family/Newtron Group Fund.

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