David Driskell: Icons of Nature and History
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June 19 – September 12, 2021, Portland Museum of Art, Portland Maine, US
Shaker Chair Quilt, 1988
About:
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, 1972, © Estate of David C. Driskell.
David Driskell: Icons of Nature and History represents a landmark moment in American art: a major exhibition of artist, curator, and scholar David Driskell’s remarkable career as a painter. Driskell’s legacy in the history of American art is unparalleled: through his curatorial work, his writing, and his teaching, he pushed audiences to consider the American story inclusive of the art of Black people.
Self Portrait, 1953
David Driskell (1931-2020) was long recognized for his vibrant and versatile painting and printmaking practice, which combines his sharp observation of American landscapes and his interest in the imagery and aesthetic innovations of the African diaspora. Although his first love was painting, his professional life was largely devoted to service for others: he taught generations of artists and art historians; mentored emerging artists and young faculty members, primarily at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); researched and wrote extensively about the artistic achievements of Black people throughout American history; and fostered the establishment of African and African-American Studies programs in American academia.
Night Vision for Jacob Lawrence, 2005
For decades, Driskell split his time between his home in Falmouth, Maine, and Hyattsville, Maryland.
The PMA is honored to organize this exhibition in partnership with the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, which brings together approximately 60 works together to present highlights of his career. The exhibition surveys seven decades of the artist’s painterly practice from the 1950s forward. His command of color and line and attentiveness to the symbolism of form is showcased through his subjects, including the natural world, remembrances of the Southern Black experience, and the Black Christian church. This exhibition features works from both public and private collections, including rarely seen works from the artist’s own collection.
Two Pines, 1964 # 2
The resulting exhibition tells a rich and vibrant story of art that is intrinsically tied to Maine and uniquely American.
Self Portrait as Beni, 1974
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DAVID DRISKELL (1931-2020) graduated from Howard University and received an MFA from Catholic University in 1962. In 1953, he attended the Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture, which began for him a lifetime of connection to that organization as well as to the state of Maine. From 1955 through 1977, Driskell taught at several Talladega College, Howard University, and Fisk University; from 1977 through 1997, Driskell taught at the University of Maryland, College Park, which is now the home of the David C. Driskell Center, a research institute that houses Driskell’s archive as well as serves as a study center for the history of African American art and art of the African diaspora.