R ochester Democrat and Chronicle SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2018 ...mag.rochester.edu/news/DandC-Black-History-Month.pdf · 1 2c z sunday, february 4, 2018z rochester democrat & chronicle

IMPACTING ART

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle ❚ SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2018 ❚ 1C

Arts

When the Memorial Art Gallery’s current director Jonathan Binstock

�rst visited the museum four years ago, one of the things that im-

pressed him the most was the institution’s collection of African-Amer-

ican art.

There was “a masterpiece of a painting by Jacob Lawrence,” Bin-

stock recollected, “one of the best paintings by Kehinde Wiley, who was

just commissioned to paint President Obama’s portrait ... a beautiful

Elizabeth Catlett sculpture, a stunning, important work of art.”

But 50 years ago, there was a much di�erent landscape.

A widespread institutional disregard for African-American works

permeated the art world for much of the twentieth 20th century. It

wasn’t until the late 1960s and early 1970s that many museums across

the country began making more of concerted e�ort to incorporate Afri-

can-American pieces into their permanent collections.

The faces that greet patrons upon entering the MAG include the Portrait ofQusuquzah #6 (2015) by New York-based artist Mickalene Thomas. PROVIDED

Memorial Art Gallery

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Emily Morry Special to Rochester Democrat and Chronicle | USA TODAY NETWORK

See BLACK HISTORY MONTH, Page 12C

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Jack Garner:Filmmaker LindaMoroney’s talent isin the spotlight.Page 5C

Gloria Estefan’simmigrant storycomes to RBTLKatherine VargaSpecial to Rochester Democrat and ChronicleUSA TODAY NETWORK

See ON YOUR FEET!, Page 4C

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During those two decades, the MAG not only ac-quired signi�cant works by artists such as RomareBearden, but it also hosted contemporary black art ex-hibits and established a workshop o�ering instruc-tional classes to inner-city youth.

Such early ventures by galleries in the black powerera were followed by a more widespread recognition ofAfrican-American art in the 1990s as identity politicscame to the fore.

“Since 1992, the playing �eld has changed consider-ably. African-American artists have since that time ...become an increasingly prominent component of theglobal contemporary art world,” says Binstock.

Local artist Shawn Dunwoody, whose own careerbegan in the 1990s, “on the verge, or, that ride of politi-cal stance and making a statement about Africanshere in America,” concurs that the period was “a recog-

nition point for major museums and galleries.”Since that time, the presence of African-American

artists in both the Memorial Art Gallery’s exhibitionsubjects and its permanent collection has steadily in-creased, hence the bounty of black art that JonathanBinstock encountered during his job interview visit in2014.

“The MAG has done a good job over the years of ac-quiring important works of art by artists who are Afri-can-American,” said Binstock, whose dissertation fo-cused on the black abstract expressionist, Sam Gil-liam.

Since he became the director in September 2014,Binstock said, “We’ve just sort of turned the volumeup. We’ve enhanced the e�ort and tried to build on

what was already established.”The goal here has been two-fold: To

catch up on the wealth of African-Amer-ican art that has proliferated in recentdecades and to ensure that the mu-seum’s interior re�ects the communitythat surrounds it. nThis means show-casing not only works created by black

artists — but work that depicts black people.One of the �rst paintings visitors see upon entering

the gallery is a portrait of an African-American womanby the Brooklyn-based painter, Mickalene Thomas.

“That is a message we really do seek to send at thispoint in time,” Binstock expressed, “that visitors tothis museum, visitors of color, will see themselves aspart of the culture of this museum from the momentthey walk in the door.”

Dunwoody notes that when he was growingup, the MAG wasn’t a place that African-Amer-ican youths often visited, but that Binstock has“tried to shift that paradigm a bit, so that it’s ac-cessible to younger audiences and it’s approach-able.”

Making the museum more approachable isone of the responsibilities of MAG’s engagementmanager, Debora McDell-Hernandez.

McDell-Hernandez began in the membershipdepartment 17 years ago, before making the tran-sition to community programming and outreach.Part of her current role is to develop programs

that make the MAG accessible toaudiences that “otherwise mightnot have us on their radar, ormight not have the means to paythe full price of a ticket.”

Her work has involved every-thing from organizing transporta-tion and tours for community or-ganizations and underserved au-diences through the MAG Connect

program to o�ering special events designed toappeal to speci�c populations.

One of the museum’s most popular specialevents is its annual Black History Month FamilyDay, a celebration of African-American arts andculture that draws upward of 1,000 visitors eachyear.

“Our hope really is that people that will come... not only during speci�c events that might betargeting certain groups, but that they just be-come interested in art and creativity and feelthat they’re in a space that’s welcoming of themand continue to come from one month to thenext,” she said.

This February the MAG will host its FamilyDay under the rebranded name, Celebration Se-ries: Black History Month. “We want to make itclear that although we attract families, the daysare for everyone,” McDell-Hernandez explained.

The afternoon event on Feb. 17 will feature arange of activities designed to appeal to bothchildren and adults. The museum will o�er artclasses and guided tours of its galleries. Eventhighlights include a performance by Ballet Afri-kana, a concert by New Gospel Times, and a lec-ture by Dr. Joy DeGruy entitled “The Power ofArt.”

These tours are family-friendly and can beeye-opening experiences for younger visitors.

“It’s really inspiring I think and refreshing forthem to be able to see art in a museum depictingpeople who look like them. ‘Oh, this could be me’or ‘this could’ve been my family’ or ‘this couldhave been painted in the neighborhood that I livein,’ ” says McDell-Hernandez, adding, “I think it’sonly very positive for them to be able to see that.”

Emily Morry is a freelance writer in the Roch-ester area.

BLACK HISTORY MONTHContinued from Page 1C

Alison Saar’s 2008work Swing Low isa portraitsculpture ofabolitionist HarrietTubman. The pieceis a maquette, orsmaller version, ofa public sculpturethat resides in a122nd Street Parkin New York City.COURTESY OF

MEMORIAL ART GALLERY

Black History Month Family Day is one of several timeseach year that the Memorial Art Gallery offers familiesand community members the opportunity to learn moreabout speci�c cultures. These events for all ages featurehands-on art activities, music and dance demonstrations,storytelling and a variety of cultural displays.UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER/BRANDON

If You GoWhat: CelebrationSeries: Black Histo-ry Month.

When: Noon to 5p.m. Feb. 17.

Where: MemorialArt Gallery, 500University Ave.

Cost: Suggesteddonation $5.

More: mag.rochester.edu/events/familycommunity-days/.

FILE PHOTO BY ARTURO HOYTE

Spotlight on ... ArtistShawn DunwoodyThough Shawn Dunwoody started outas a gallery artist and has served in aconsulting capacity to local museums,such as the MAG, his true calling liesoutside the institution:

“I wanted to become a public artistbecause I wanted to be what I wantedto see when I was 14 or 15 years ofage,” he explained. “I wanted to see ablack man of color who could actuallyarticulate his work … in my neighbor-hood and my community … I work inthe public realm so that I can help toinspire the next generation of artists.”

Binstock

McDell-Hernandez

The MemorialArt Galleryhas turnedup thevolume onshowcasingblack art andblack artistsunder theleadership ofJonathanBinstock.PROVIDED

Arts