Mural honors black artists' achievements / LJWorld.com

Archive for Wednesday, August 22, 2007

August 22, 2007

Stephanie Knappe, a coordinator for Kansas University's Spencer Museum of Art

Stephanie Knappe, a coordinator for Kansas University's Spencer Museum of Art, discusses the upcoming exhibition entitled Aaron Douglas: African American Modern

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Photo by Thad Allender

Artist Dave Loewenstein works in his studio, 4-1-1 Artspace, 411 E. Ninth St., on the final design for a mural for Downtown Lawrence that will measure 20 feet tall by 65 feet wide. The community mural project, which will soon decorate the building south of the Farmer's Market between Eighth and Ninth streets along New Hampshire Street, is funded through a partnership between the city of Lawrence and Spencer Museum of Art at Kansas University. The mural pays homage to black artists with ties to Kansas. The Lawrence City Commission is expected to approve the project on Thursday.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Aaron Marable, Lawrence, works on a new mural around the entry door to Love Garden Sounds, 936 1/2 Mass. Marable's piece is a tribute to early black musicians and their influence on popular music in America. A larger mural showcasing influential black American artists will appear on another building downtown.

It will be one large art history book.

Think 20 feet tall by 65 feet wide, and in the middle of Downtown Lawrence.

City commissioners are set to make the image a reality. Commissioners at their Thursday morning meeting are expected to approve plans for a major mural designed to raise awareness of several black artists with Kansas ties who went on to have famed careers.

"We think it can be a real history lesson," said Carolyn Chinn Lewis, assistant director of Kansas University's Spencer Museum of Art, which is commissioning the mural as part of a national conference it is hosting on Harlem Renaissance artist Aaron Douglas.

Commissioners, as part of their consent agenda, will consider issuing a permit for Lawrence artist Dave Loewenstein to paint the mural on the northern wall of the Aquila natural gas building at the northeast corner of Ninth and New Hampshire streets.

The mural will feature the images of seven black artists who either were born in Kansas or lived in the state. They are:

¢ Aaron Douglas, a Topeka native who became one of the more influential artists in the 1920s and 1930s as part of the Harlem Renaissance art movement;

¢ Langston Hughes, a Harlem Renaissance poet who was raised in Lawrence;

¢ Gordon Parks, a photographer, author and film director who was born and raised in Fort Scott;

¢ Gwendolyn Brooks, a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet who was born in Topeka;

¢ Coleman Hawkins, a renowned jazz saxophonist who attended high school and college in Topeka;

¢ Hattie McDaniel, who was born in Wichita and became the first black performer to win an Academy Award;

¢ Oscar Micheaux, who grew up in Great Bend and is widely recognized as the first black filmmaker.

Loewenstein said work on the mural could begin as soon as Friday or Saturday. He expects to have the work finished for a Sept. 26 unveiling that will be part of the Spencer's exhibition entitled "Aaron Douglas: African American Modernist."

Downtown leaders are excited about the project, and especially its location overlooking the Downtown Lawrence Farmers Market in the 800 block of New Hampshire Street.

"We think it is a great idea," said Jane Pennington, director of Downtown Lawrence Inc. "Adding more public art to downtown is an area that we really want to look at."

The mural, which was unanimously recommended by the Lawrence Arts Commission, is expected to last at least 20 years.

Discussion

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22 August 2007
at 9:52 a.m.

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i_have_only_valid_opinions (Anonymous) says…

So, I guess there weren't any asians, hispanics, caucasians (et. al.) from Kansas that are worthy of being honored with a mural? Just blacks? Hmm…still dealing with our supposed slavery guilt I see.
22 August 2007
at 10:52 a.m.

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Pywacket (Anonymous) says…

U_have_no_valid_opinions: Just shut the eff up, already. Nobody needs to hear it. Did you read the article (for some context) or did your spiteful, twisted fingers just start typing as soon as you saw the headline? If you're pining for some art by whites (you're not fooling anybody with your dissembling mention of Asians and Hispanics, btw), go to any well-heeled gallery or museum and knock yourself out.
22 August 2007
at 10:54 a.m.

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Pywacket (Anonymous) says…

b3, the same goes for you.
22 August 2007
at 10:58 a.m.

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i_have_only_valid_opinions (Anonymous) says…

I don't have any problem whatsoever with the idea behind the mural and honoring those people who hav emade major contributions over the years. But, I can't stand how people justify targeting black accomplishments specifically all of the time. They don't do that with caucasians. I don't see anyone putting up an asian mural for all of the food and culture they have brought us. How about we recognize everyone's contributions with a multi-cultural mural? Throw some Native American contributions in there as well since they were here before anyone.
22 August 2007
at 11:07 a.m.

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riverat (Joe Hyde) says…

This is not meant as any disrespect whatsoever to Mr. Loewenstein or to his skills. But for a municipal mural intended to honor historical artists who were black people who came from Kansas, why didn't our City Commission contract an actual living black Kansan artist to design a mural and then paint it on the designated location?
22 August 2007
at 11:12 a.m.

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bwoodard (Bill Woodard) says…

The Loewenstein mural project was commissioned by the Spencer Museum of Art as part of the local programming for a national touring exhibition about Aaron Douglas that the Spencer has organized. This exhibition, which after its debut here in Lawrence this fall will travel to Nashville, Washington D.C., and New York, will honor one of the 20th century's most important visual artists, African American or otherwise.

To learn more about the exhibition, the mural project, the national conference and other related programming for Aaron Douglas: African American Modernist, I encourage you to visit http://www.aarondouglas.ku.edu
22 August 2007
at 11:12 a.m.

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emilyhadley (Emily Hadley) says…

This is cool. I am so glad to see this in the works!

Every time I walk by that hideously blank and prison-like building south of the Granada, I hear it screaming for a mural. After an enlightening little stroll under the gently arched redbuds in South Park and the delightful passage through the Hedgehog House to our beautiful, historic courthouse, that ugly-arse building and its adjacent rubble-filled lot is the biggest imaginable killjoy.

So much potential! I hope these artistic endeavors continue around town!

22 August 2007
at 11:28 a.m.

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cog_nate (Nate Poell) says…

This is great news. Dave Loewenstein's murals kick serious butt.
22 August 2007
at 11:28 a.m.

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msshaden (Anonymous) says…

Congrats on the decision to do the mural. Thumbs down to the ones that are trying to make this a racial issue. There are contributors of every nationality/race in Kansas. The fact that someone felt to target African-Americans in a positive light this time is making some squirm in their seat. I am sure if you were to submit a list of all the other contributors, someone will make sure they get the recognition they deserve.
22 August 2007
at 11:49 a.m.

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i_have_only_valid_opinions (Anonymous) says…

scenebooster (Anonymous) says:

“”They don't do that with caucasians. ”

Oh, poo. Poor whitey”

Did you really just say that? Wow.
22 August 2007
at 11:50 a.m.

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Pywacket (Anonymous) says…

Oh, BS! We are saturated, 24/7 with homage to whites. The fact that you don't even realize that drives home the pervasiveness of “white culture” and “white recognition” in which we have been steeping for centuries. Only difference is, there's never been a perceived need to attach the word “white” or “Caucasian” (if you will) to anything because the whiteness of honorees, featured artists, etc., was just assumed.

Having said that, it may placate you to realize that other specific cultures or backgrounds frequently ARE singled out for art shows or displays. It is not difficult to find a show or opening that features (for instance) native American artists, Japanese, Chinese, French, Belgian, or Spanish art, etc….

Sorry to have to break it to you but “white” is not a specific background or culture. You're never going to see a show depicting “Velvet Paintings From the Late 20th Century Smith Dynasty.” (Well, maybe in Arkansas…) But if you'll pull your head out and pay attention, you MIGHT see a show depicting Hungarian-American modernists or the ceramics of Swedish-American raku artists..

Due to the appalling nature of African Americans' shared cultural history in the US—a history marked by slavery, oppression, discrimination, and exclusion—black folk (whether they know their ancestral history or that knowledge has been robbed) do share a culture in the US—thus, the grouping of “black artists” is natural and appropriate. Had they come to this country the way Europeans did—by choice and with no erasure of their original cultures, it might be more likely that we'd see art shows with titles such as Modern Ethiopian-American Woven Wall Hangings” or “Early 21st Century Kenyan-American Watercolors.”
22 August 2007
at 11:59 a.m.

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Bubbles (Anonymous) says…

You know what they say about people that have to tell you about their unsolicited achievements.
22 August 2007
at 1:10 p.m.

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daddax98 (Anonymous) says…

Americorps that was great and spot on!
22 August 2007
at 1:16 p.m.

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Bubbles (Anonymous) says…

You'd think that the city could find a black artist to do the mural. I guess it takes a white to tell us how great black artists are.
22 August 2007
at 1:58 p.m.

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i_have_only_valid_opinions (Anonymous) says…

This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.

22 August 2007
at 2:57 p.m.

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i_have_only_valid_opinions (Anonymous) says…

py…go wacket

If you read my post it says that I understand the accomplishments of the black community. I just don't want to become over-zealous in recognizing them more for their skin color than for their contributions to society. That is what we have a tendency to do as a country because of our past. That is a fact. Go get pissed at someone spewing non-facts, wacket. I guess all that whacking has made you blind and you didn't finish reading my post. You are forgiven.
22 August 2007
at 3:34 p.m.

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tmkatt (Anonymous) says…

…and we question why we can't become closer, more embracing of our own uniqueness…we all know each of us is different, one from another, and generally we do embrace that uniqueness, so why not “embrace” one or two more differences and just all become truly color-blind…isn't life it's own self really just varying shades and hues and contrasts in gray? Now just go one more tiny step and apply the same process to your vision…Yes, we HAVE lived, most of us, in a world and country that's been rife with biased, unreasoned and unreasonable b.s. and hipocrosy…it's our job to do it better, and different, and that can't be done by hanging onto all th' baggage from yester-year…baggage of ANY type or “color”…like Seger said, turn th' page, remove just a bit of your visual acuity, and relax…just look around you…nice world, if you open your eyes.
22 August 2007
at 3:36 p.m.

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Kontum1972 (Anonymous) says…

Isn't ART great…it brings up deep seated feelings from just about everyone…with one exception and that is if your without sight, then your…. SoL.

Everybodies a CRITIC..!

it doesnt matter what you do..!
your always wrong in someone else's eyes….PEACE
22 August 2007
at 9:39 p.m.

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reeveso (John Reeves) says…

Do something positive with your energy and time.
Visit the mural site to learn about volunteering and participating in the project.
22 August 2007
at 10:02 p.m.

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heidizeller (Anonymous) says…

Right on, Dave! As a relative newcomer to Lawrence from California - and a student of public art - it's been a pleasure to come to a place that enriches its surfaces with such vibrant murals and sculpture. I appreciate being able to walk down the street every day and discover art tucked away in passageways between buildings and prominently along Mass St. (Incidentally, I thought it was particularly progressive of John Reeves and the Lawrence Arts Commission to place Dylan Mortimer's “Prayer Booth” in front of the Eldridge, and I was disappointed to see it moved by the Court building). ANYway, it's impossible to satisfy everyone when art is placed in the public realm, but wouldn't we prefer to have something that earnestly attempts to beautify or provoke or inspire, as opposed to nothing at all? So thank you Dave for your soon-to-be latest contribution to the walls of Lawrence.

As for this bickering about the African American subjects of the mural, I say this to i_have_only_valid_opinions: You say “I just don't want to become over-zealous in recognizing them more for their skin color than for their contributions to society.” Well guess what, artists such as Aaron Douglas and Gwendolyn Brooks were chosen precisely because they are being recognized for their contributions to society!!