New Critical Perspectives on African American Art History

Kevin Cole Dreams that Merge (For Martin Malcolm and Mandela), 1996-1999 Mixed Media © Kevin Cole 1999

The 1976 exhibition Two Centuries of Black American Art, curated by David C. Driskell, redefined the parameters for the study of African American art, offering an alternative narrative to mainstream histories of American art and revealing to the public for the first time the depth and breadth of African American artistic production and creativity. This landmark exhibition was a major force in the institutionalization of African American art as an academic and critical field. Now, more than 30 years later, the David C. Driskell Center and the Department of Art History and Archaeology will host a conference that reassesses the field of African American art as it has evolved, shifted and grown in the last quarter of the 20th century and into the 21st. New Critical Perspectives highlights new scholarship and approaches to African American Art History. A wide range of papers were presented that investigated artists and issues using diverse critical tools and approaches. Scholars from around the country explored topics such as interdisciplinarity, cosmopolitanism, race and the black body and diasporic identities.

For more information, see the David C. Driskell Center website at www.driskellcenter.umd.edu or contact the main office at 301.314.2615

Sponsored By:

The Henry Luce Foundation

HEADFIRST Insights & Strategy, Inc

The Terra Foundation for American Art
The Terra Foundation for American Art is dedicated to fostering exploration, understanding, and enjoyment of the visual arts of the United States for national and international audiences. Recognizing the importance of experiencing original works of art, the foundation provides opportunities for interaction and study, beginning with the presentation and growth of its own art collection in Chicago. To further cross-cultural dialogue on American art, the foundation supports and collaborates on innovative exhibitions, research, and educational programs. Implicit in such activities is the belief that art has the potential both to distinguish cultures and to unite them."

The David C. Driskell Center for the Study of the Visual Arts and Culture of
African Americans and the African Diaspora at the University of Maryland, College Park

The Department of Art History and Archaeology at the University of Maryland, College Park

The College of Arts and Humanities at the University of Maryland, College Park