Greenville museum celebrates Black History Month with art exhibit (2024)

PHYLLIS WHEATLEY SCORED ORG. AS WE CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH, WE TAKE A LOOK AT A NEW EXHIBIT IN THE UPSTATE THAT CELEBRATES THE WORK OF ALMOST 50 BLACK ARTISTS. IT’S AT THE UPCOUNTRY HISTORY MUSEUM IN GREENVILLE. THE EXHIBIT FEATURES MORE THAN 100 PIECES, INCLUDING PAINTINGS, PRINTS, DRAWINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS AND MIXED MEDIA WORKS. THE ITEMS RANGE FROM THE YEAR 1840 TO TODAY. THE MUSEUM CEO TELLS US THIS ART TAKES PEOPLE ON A JOURNEY, SHE SAYS. THROUGH THIS ART, PEOPLE WILL LEARN ABOUT THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD AND A TIME WHEN AFRICAN AMERICANS WERE FLEEING THE SOUTH AND HEADING NORTH. SHE HOPES THIS ART CREATES CONVERSATION AS IT REALLY UNDERSCORES THE RESILIENCY THE PERSEVERANCE, THE HUMAN SIDE OF LIFE, THE THINGS THAT, IN ALL HONESTY, BIND US ALL TOGETHER. FOR YOU CAN SEE THE NEW EXHIBIT AT THE UPCOUNTRY HIS

The Upcountry History Museum in Greenville has unveiled a new exhibit celebrating the work of nearly 50 black artists. "The museum views itself as a place for discussion, a safe place for people coming together, viewing and experiencing things together and in civil discourse, having open honest and good conversation together," said Upcountry History Museum CEO Dana Thorpe. "We want this to be an emotional journey for every visitor coming to the museum," Thorpe said. Here is how museum officials describe the new exhibit: "Through a visually compelling presentation of history through art, small moments of ordinary experiences are transformed into extraordinary discoveries of resiliency and revelation in Vision & Spirit: Black Artists in the Bank of America Collection, the newest exhibition opening Saturday, February 17, 2024, at the Upcountry History Museum – Greenville County."Featuring more than 100 paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, and mixed media works by 48 renowned Black artists born in the 19th and 20th centuries, this exhibition highlights key aspects of their lives, as well as the important objects they created. The varieties of artistic vision represented reflect upon the social and political times in which the works of art were produced, as well as span an even greater period of time, such as the Middle Passage – the taking of enslaved Africans by boat across the Atlantic, the Underground Railroad, and the Great Migration of Black Americans from the South during the Jim Crow era."Curated in partnership with the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts & Culture in Charlotte, N.C., the works of artists like Henry Clay Anderson, Chelle Barbour, Romare Bearden, Dawoud Bey, Willie Cole, Murry DePillars, Jacob Lawrence, Whitfield Lovell, Gordon Parks, Faith Ringgold, Jamel Shabazz, and James VanDerZee, embody what curator Dexter Wimberly called “countless examples of resilience” as he researched these artists, their collective works, and the impact each has on shaping our understanding of the world. This exhibition has been loaned through the Bank of America Art in our Communities® program. “We believe in the power of the arts to help economies thrive, enrich societies and create greater cultural understanding,” said Stacy Brandon, Bank of America President for Upstate South Carolina. “Bank of America is honored to help bring a unique exhibit by this celebrated group of artists to the Upstate to increase appreciation and promote discussion in our broader community of the Black American experience.”"On display through June 2, Vision & Spirit inspires visitors to go on a journey of discovery, revelation, and transformation through a collection of both established works and emerging abstracts to open the door for greater discussion of what propels this reimagining while inviting exploration of complex ideas about history unconstrained by assumptions."

GREENVILLE, S.C. —

The Upcountry History Museum in Greenville has unveiled a new exhibit celebrating the work of nearly 50 black artists.

"The museum views itself as a place for discussion, a safe place for people coming together, viewing and experiencing things together and in civil discourse, having open honest and good conversation together," said Upcountry History Museum CEO Dana Thorpe.

Advertisem*nt

"We want this to be an emotional journey for every visitor coming to the museum," Thorpe said.

Here is how museum officials describe the new exhibit:

"Through a visually compelling presentation of history through art, small moments of ordinary experiences are transformed into extraordinary discoveries of resiliency and revelation in Vision & Spirit: Black Artists in the Bank of America Collection, the newest exhibition opening Saturday, February 17, 2024, at the Upcountry History Museum – Greenville County.

"Featuring more than 100 paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, and mixed media works by 48 renowned Black artists born in the 19th and 20th centuries, this exhibition highlights key aspects of their lives, as well as the important objects they created. The varieties of artistic vision represented reflect upon the social and political times in which the works of art were produced, as well as span an even greater period of time, such as the Middle Passage – the taking of enslaved Africans by boat across the Atlantic, the Underground Railroad, and the Great Migration of Black Americans from the South during the Jim Crow era.

"Curated in partnership with the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts & Culture in Charlotte, N.C., the works of artists like Henry Clay Anderson, Chelle Barbour, Romare Bearden, Dawoud Bey, Willie Cole, Murry DePillars, Jacob Lawrence, Whitfield Lovell, Gordon Parks, Faith Ringgold, Jamel Shabazz, and James VanDerZee, embody what curator Dexter Wimberly called “countless examples of resilience” as he researched these artists, their collective works, and the impact each has on shaping our understanding of the world. This exhibition has been loaned through the Bank of America Art in our Communities® program.

“We believe in the power of the arts to help economies thrive, enrich societies and create greater cultural understanding,” said Stacy Brandon, Bank of America President for Upstate South Carolina. “Bank of America is honored to help bring a unique exhibit by this celebrated group of artists to the Upstate to increase appreciation and promote discussion in our broader community of the Black American experience.”

"On display through June 2, Vision & Spirit inspires visitors to go on a journey of discovery, revelation, and transformation through a collection of both established works and emerging abstracts to open the door for greater discussion of what propels this reimagining while inviting exploration of complex ideas about history unconstrained by assumptions."

Greenville museum celebrates Black History Month with art exhibit (2024)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Trent Wehner

Last Updated:

Views: 6040

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (56 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Trent Wehner

Birthday: 1993-03-14

Address: 872 Kevin Squares, New Codyville, AK 01785-0416

Phone: +18698800304764

Job: Senior Farming Developer

Hobby: Paintball, Calligraphy, Hunting, Flying disc, Lapidary, Rafting, Inline skating

Introduction: My name is Trent Wehner, I am a talented, brainy, zealous, light, funny, gleaming, attractive person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.