Pulse: A quarterly publication of Harvey B. Gantt Center

A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OFHARVEY B. GANTT CENTER PULSE Harvey B. Gantt Center Jan-March 2017 page 00

PULSE Harvey B. Gantt Center Jan-March 2017 page 00

A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OFHARVEY B. GANTT CENTER Contents Page 3 Pages 5 Pulse Check Pages 20 Artistic Soul Pages 26 Retrospective Pages 28 Monthly Vibrations Pages 31 From the Heart Pages 32 Community Pulse Art Beats

Image credit: Charles, 2016, Jordan Casteel, Courtesy of the ArtistPULSE Harvey B. Gantt Center Jan-March 2017 page 02

PULSE CHECK: A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO Welcome to the inaugural edition of Pulse, a new publication from the Gantt Center, designed to provide members with quarterly updates on the direct impact that your support has on the Charlotte community. At the Harvey B. Gantt Center, members are donors and we are grateful for your support. Your contributions strengthen our ability to provideand produce cultural experiences that are accessible to everyone. We wantedto develop more direct lines of communication with you to highlight theoutstanding work our artists and staff have accomplished, and to ensure thatthe legacy of Charlotte’s African-American community is upheld amidst ourever-evolving Uptown location. As the only African-American arts and culturalinstitution in Center City, the Gantt Center truly is a jewel in the Queen City’scrown. However, our location holds a deeper source of pride because westand on the original site of the once-thriving Brooklyn neighborhood. It is ourgoal to celebrate the artistic and historical contributions of African-Americans,not only inside our walls, but out in the community.If you haven’t already visited us this season, Pulse will provide a glimpse of whatyou have missed.We have arranged the magazine in sections that provideyou with an overview of our current exhibitions (Artistic Soul); a review ofprograms and events from the previous quarter (Retrospective); personalstories from members and volunteers who support the Gantt Center (Fromthe Heart); a calendar of upcoming events (Monthly Vibrations); our communityoutreach efforts (Community Pulse) and our latest news coverage (Art Beats).We would love to hear your feedback and invite you to send an email [email protected],David R.TaylorPresident & CEO PULSE Harvey B. Gantt Center Jan-March 2017 page 03

HOST YOUR NEXT EVENT AT THE GANTT CENTER Contact Chanel Davis: [email protected] or call 704.547.3768PULSE page 04

ARTISTIC SOULThe Gantt Center is a jewel in the Queen City’s crown.As keepers of African-American arts, history, and culture, we create and provide opportunities forlocal, national, and international artists to share their masterpieces with alarger audience. Gracing our galleries through July 8, 2017 are the works ofseven innovative artists:Alison Saar, Jordan Casteel, DeShawn Dumas, RushernBaker IV,Torkwase Dyson, Brenna Youngblood, and Zun Lee. On the pagesthat follow we offer you a glimpse into this season’s exhibitions. Enter theirworlds as you learn more about Alison Saar:The Nature of Us (curated by Dr.Michael D. Harris); Jordan Casteel: Harlem Notes (curated by Joeonna Bellorado-Samuels); The Future is Abstract (curated by Dexter Wimberly); and Zun Lee:Father Figure (organized by the Harvey B. Gantt Center).Weight, 2012, Alison Saar, Courtesy of the Artist and L.A. Louver, Venice, CA PULSE Harvey B. Gantt Center Jan-March 2017 page 05

Image Credit: Undone, 2012, Alison Saar, Courtesy of the Artist and L.A. Louver, Venice, CAPULSE page 06

MEET THE ARTISTS Alison SaarAlison Saar: The Nature of UsThis exhibit explores themes of motherhood, the role of women, the intensityof their hearts, and their embodiment as nature by highlighting the works ofrenowned artist Alison Saar.Alison Saar (b. 1956)Alison Saar is one of the most acclaimed contemporary artists practicing inthe United States today with a career that spans more than three decades. Inaddition, both her parents – Betye and Richard – and her sisters are artists.Saar works primarily in sculpture but also incorporates prints, paintings andworks on paper in her practice, most often with a focus on the female form.She grapples with motherhood, the role of women, the intensity of their heartsand their embodiment as nature and its forces. Saar’s work has been exhibitednationally and internationally and her permanent site sculptures can be foundacross the nation, from Los Angeles to New York.Artist Alison Saar poses with her sculpture Sea of Serenity in Gallery West. PULSE Harvey B. Gantt Center Jan-March 2017 page 07

Image credit: James, 2015, Jordan Casteel, Courtesy of Martin H. Nesbitt & Dr. Anita K. BlanchardPULSE page 08

MEET THE ARTISTS Jordan CasteelJordan Casteel: Harlem NotesCasteel’s work captures the vulnerability of the African-American male andaddresses the continuous struggle for identity and recognition among peopleof color.Jordan Casteel (b. 1989)Jordan Casteel received her B.A. from Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA forStudio Art (2011) and her M.F.A. in Painting and Printmaking from Yale Schoolof Art in New Haven, CT (2014). She has been an artist-in-residence at Yaddo,Saratoga Springs, NY (2015); Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Process Space,Governors Island, NY (2015);The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York, NY(2015) and is currently participating in The Sharpe-Walentas Studio Program,DUMBO, NY (2016). Casteel, who lives and works in New York City, is anAssistant Professor at Rutgers University-Newark.Artist Jordan Casteel poses near her painting Kevin the Kite Man in the 2nd floor gallery. PULSE Harvey B. Gantt Center Jan-March 2017 page 09

Image credit: Jerrell Willis carries Fidel across Brooklyn Bridge (Brooklyn, NY), 2012, Zun Lee, Courtesy of the ArtistPULSE page 10

MEET THE ARTISTS Zun LeeZun Lee: Father FigureThis exhibit takes a deeper look into the humanity of African-American malesand how they negotiate their daily lives as fathers and black men.Zun Lee (b. 1969)Zun Lee is an award-winning Canadian photographer, physician and educator.Born and raised in Germany, and currently residing in Toronto, he has also livedin Atlanta, Philadelphia and Chicago. Lee has been globally recognized as oneof the top emerging visual storytellers to watch. His focus on the importanceof everyday Black life has led to his work being published in The New YorkTimes, Slate,Wall Street Journal,TIME,The New Yorker, Huffington Post, MSNBC,TheWashington Post, Forbes and Hyperallergic.Lee has shown his work in solo and group exhibits and has received numeroushonors and awards including: Magnum Foundation Fellow (2015), Paris Photo/Aperture Photobook Awards Shortlist (2014) and Photo District News’ 30New and Emerging Photographers to Watch (2014).Zun Lee PULSE Harvey B. Gantt Center Jan-March 2017 page 11

Image credit: Untitled, 2016, Rushern Baker IV, Acrylic, spray-paint, aluminum, resin, ceramic tile adhesive on canvas, 30” x 40”, Courtesy of the ArtistPULSE page 12

MEET THE ARTISTS Rushern Baker IVThe Future is AbstractThis exhibition highlights the work of four contemporary artists working inabstract painting and mixed-media.Rushern Baker IV (b. 1987)Rushern Baker IV’s practice draws inspiration from the history of geometricabstraction and utilizes complex compositional juxtapositions as a modeof engaging with the viewer. Additional points of reference include thewritings of Octavia Butler, Black abstraction, the New York School and SovietConstructivism. These myriad ideas shape Baker’s studio practice, characterizedby a sense of lawlessness, similar to that of the subjects that fascinate him. Hispaintings mix traditional media with building materials in complex compositionsthat evoke landscapes that refer to the urban and suburban environment.Artist Rushern Baker IV poses in front of his painting, Under Pressure PULSE Harvey B. Gantt Center Jan-March 2017 page 13

Image credit: Holocene Extinction, 2017, Deshawn Dumas, Laser fusion foil, chain-link fence on birch, 78” x 46”, Courtesy of the ArtistPULSE page 14

MEET THE ARTISTS DeShawn DumasThe Future is AbstractThis exhibition highlights the work of four contemporary artists working inabstract painting and mixed-media.DeShawn Dumas (b. 1983) creates mixed-media wall tablets fromvarious remnants of heavy industry and consumerism - including chain-linkfences, steel frames, spray paint, and plexiglass. He chooses to use materialsthat function socially. Obtaining these materials allows Dumas to explore therelationship between handicraft and what he refers to as art’s “relationship tothe machine.” Deeply inspired by energy, the works are meant to move theviewer; that is, to create a spatial experience and affective relations.DeShawn Dumas PULSE Harvey B. Gantt Center Jan-March 2017 page 15

Image Credit: Point of Departure (Auction Block), 2016, Torkwase Dyson, Wood, plexi, graphite, acrylic, 38” x 48”, Courtesy of the ArtistPULSE page 16

MEET THE ARTISTS Torkwase DysonThe Future is AbstractThis exhibition highlights the work of four contemporary artists working inabstract painting and mixed-media.Torkwase Dyson’s (b. 1973) paintings, drawings and sculptures areinformed by the contemporary and historical conditions in and throughwhich Black people negotiate systems and deeply rooted ideological orderswithin built and natural environments in the United States. She mergesideas such as site and built environments, and nature and culture under therubric of environmentalism. Fascinated with transformations, ambiguities andenvironmental changes that place these subjects in relationship to each other,Dyson’s work revolves around investigating our connections to imagination,materiality, geography and belonging.Torkwase Dyson PULSE Harvey B. Gantt Center Jan-March 2017 page 17

Image credit: Two Can Win, 2013, Brenna Youngblood, Courtesy of the Artist and Honor Fraser Gallery, Los Angeles, CAPULSE page 18

MEET THE ARTISTS Brenna YoungbloodThe Future is AbstractThis exhibition highlights the work of four contemporary artists working inabstract painting and mixed-media.Brenna Youngblood (b. 1979) explores the iconography of public andprivate experiences and issues of identity, ethics and representation. She freelyexperiments with aspects of formalism, materials, and processes as part of herrigorous studio practice.With a background in photomontage,Youngbloodbuilds the surfaces of many paintings simultaneously while assessing therelationships between each object in formation. Humor and satire areintuitively interwoven in the choices she makes about composition, line, form,and content.Brenna Youngblood PULSE Harvey B. Gantt Center Jan-March 2017 page 19

RETROSPECTIVE At the Gantt Center, there’s something for everyone to enjoy and 2017 is off to quite a start! Whether you’re exploring your artistic side, connecting with culture or commemorating a moment in African-American history, our robust programming provides an outlet for all generations. Enjoy this snapshot of recent events that were held over the past quarter. Don’t forget to check our events calendar regularly on ganttcenter.org and RSVP for upcoming programs. A visitor contemplates the art of DeShawn Dumas in The Future is Abstract exhibition (2017). FAMILY FIRST Every first Saturday of the month, the Gantt Center’s Family First series features local and regional artists in hands-on workshops. Families and individuals are invited to participate in engaging discussions along with in-gallery experiences inspired by our current exhibitions. Create art, dance, sing and learn together! Take a look at previous Family First events.PULSE page 20

Charles Farrar & Friends January 17, 2017 Gantt Center exhibiting artist and curator of Shaping the Vessel, Charles Farrar, provided a glimpse of the history and practice of working with wood as a medium and what it means to “turn”vessels. From conception to creation, Farrar showed the progression as heand fellow wood artists demonstrated the use of the lathe. The Inventor’s Workshop with Dulce Tavares February 4, 2017 Many everyday products and objects are related to, a derivative of, or influenced by the creations of black inventors.The list of remarkable inventions created byAfrican-Americans is endless. The Inventor’s Workshop with Dulce Tavareshonored those African-American inventors and developed a new, creativeand experimental invention perfect for the family! Jewelry Making with MJ Arts Alot March 4, 2017 The Egyptians used jewelry to show territorial pride and strongly believed that color reflected aspects of the wearer’s personality. Charlottean MJ Arts Alot led guests of all ages through this creative jewelry-making workshop using beads, paint, and paper samples that focused on symbols, colors and patterns of ancient Egypt. PULSE Harvey B. Gantt Center Jan-March 2017 page 21

Martin Luther King, Jr. DayJanuary 16, 2017The Gantt Center came alive on January 16 for our annual Martin LutherKing, Jr. holiday celebration.We opened our doors to the public for a fullday of activities, and as visitors streamed into the Center, the air was electricwith expectation. Drums echoed throughout the building along with therecitations of local performers in the Grand Lobby as a panel about racerelations and Charlotte’s future inspired questions from the youngest ofparticipants (pictured below).The King holiday presents an opportunity to commemorate one of thegreatest influencers in American history, enables us to educate others onthe countless contributions African-Americans have made to our nation andto celebrate the collective talent of the African diaspora. With extendedhours for guests to enjoy film screenings, community discussions on race andidentity, dance classes and art workshops, we hosted 2,000 guests for the day.A young participant asks questions during panel. Dancers from Westside Cultural Arts Company captivate the audience.PULSE page 22

Opening WeekendJanuary 27-28, 2017Each January, new works of art make their way into the galleries at the GanttCenter for the first of two opening weekends of the year. On January 27-28, 2017, we celebrated the debut of four new exhibitions: Alison Saar:TheNature of Us; Jordan Casteel: Harlem Notes; Zun Lee: Father Figure; and TheFuture is Abstract.The weekend was special with events for our members,as well as for the general public. From intimate gallery talks with artists andcurators to a press conference for local media to hear from the creatorsthemselves, our opening drew historic crowds with over 1,200 visitorsexperiencing the galleries and embracing Arts and Science Council’s Connectwith Culture Day.We also received extensive coverage in local media.Larger than life: A guest ponders the work of Alison Saar.A patron gets up close and personal with The Future is Abstract. PULSE Harvey B. Gantt Center Jan-March 2017 page 23

Principle, Punishment & Redemption February 3, 2017 The Gantt Center hosted an exclusive preview of the new documentary, Principle, Punishment & Redemption, produced by local documentarian and WBTV reporter, Steve Crump.The film told the story of South Carolina students known as the “Friendship 9” for their historic protest against Jim Crow laws in 1961.We held a post-screening conversation about history, progress and current challenges in today’s social climate with a member of the Friendship 9 and others.The evening also featured author Kimberly Johnson who joined the panel and signed copies of her book No Fear for Freedom:The Story of the Friendship 9. From Marching and Protesting to Application and Equity February 28, 2017 The Civil Rights Era was effective because a community answered a call to action. Here at the Gantt Center, we concluded Black History Month with a panel discussion featuring legendary civil rights leader Rev. Dr. Jesse Douglas, who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; community leader, pastor and author Rev. Dr. Rodney Sadler; community organizer and social justice creative Janelle Dunlap; and Sean Casey, educator, Environmental Scientist and Board member of the Possibility Project. Charlotte photojournalist and chaplain of Trinity Episcopal School de’Angelo Dia moderated this robust discussion about the nation’s transition from marching and protesting to active, sustained engagement.PULSE page 24

The Classic Black Cinema SeriesEvery Second Sunday @ 2:00 PMAre you looking for a different way to spend your Sunday afternoons? Joinus on the second Sunday of the month for The Classic Black Cinema Series.Hosted and curated by film industry veteran Felix Curtis, this film series isdesigned as a vehicle to explore the vast artistic value black film has hadthroughout the years and to advance the appreciation of Black cinema. Here’sa look at our recent line up:Boycott AnSolathveerryNBayme Anna LucastaMoving Spirits: A Community Intensive Dance Workshopwith Tamara WilliamsEvery Second Saturday through June 2017 @ 2:00 PMIn February, enthusiastic dancers poured into the Gantt Center’smultipurpose room for the launch of our newest program, Moving SpiritsA Community Intensive Dance Workshop with Tamara Williams. A professorat UNC Charlotte,WIlliams developed this exciting series of five classestaught by local dance instructors, integrating themes from the currentexhibition, Alison Saar:The Nature of Us. Every second Saturday of the monththrough June, participants dance their way through the African diaspora tothe rhythms of live drummers. Through the various dance moves, studentslearn the importance of empowerment of the human form, explorations ofspirituality, and ritual practices as they relate to movement of the body. Participants perform dance routines in February and March Moving Spirits dance workshops PULSE Harvey B. Gantt Center Jan-March 2017 page 25

MONTHLY VIBRATIONSApril JuneFamily First Family FirstApril 1 • 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM June 3 • 11:00 AM- 1:00 PMMoving Spirits:A Community Intensive Moving Spirits:A Community IntensiveDance Workshop with Tamara Williams Dance Workshop with Tamara WilliamsApril 8 • 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM June 10 • 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM$5 General admission, free for members $5 General admission, free for membersThe Classic Black Cinema Series - The Classic Black Cinema Series - SirenWhite Man’s Burden of the TropicsApril 9 • 2:00 PM June 11 • 2:00 PMPNC Bank Presents PNC Bank PresentsGantt After Dark Gantt After DarkApril 20 • 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM June 15 • 6:00 PM - 10:00 PMMayFamily FirstMay 6 • 11:00 AM- 1:00 PMMoving Spirits:A Community IntensiveDance Workshop with Tamara WilliamsMay 13 • 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM$5 General admission, free for membersThe Classic Black Cinema Series - AWarm DecemberMay 14 • 2:00 PMPNC Bank PresentsGantt After DarkMay 18 • 6:00 PM - 10:00 PMPULSE page 26

HELP US TOCREATE UNIQUECULTURALEXPERIENCESIN CHARLOTTE.Become a memberor renew your membershiptoday! [email protected] 704.547.3700 PULSE Harvey B. Gantt Center Jan-March 2017 page 25

From the Heart Membership with the Gantt Center has its privileges and in January, members were treated to gallery talks and intimate conversations with some of the outstanding artists and curators who joined us for the opening of our newest exhibitions that are Redefining Art.Thanks to your dedicated support through membership, attendance at our programs, as brand ambassadors, and by donating your art collections, we are able to touch the souls of those who enter our facility and countless others in the broader community. With over forty years of interaction with the Charlotte community, we recognize that many of you have helped to sustain our existence as an arts institution and cultural landmark in the city. We would love to hear from you, our members about your personal motivation for being such an integral part of the Gantt Center. As you will see, this section features personal testimonials about how the Gantt Center has impacted lives and we look forward to sharing your memories with other members. Please email [email protected] to submit your story. Image credit: Hankerin’ Heart: Gimpy, 2012, Alison Saar, Courtesy of the Artist and L.A. Louver, Venice, CAPULSE page 28

Member Spotlight: Gantt Center memberMs. Cheryl Sledge* for 8 yearsI support the Gantt Center because it celebrates Black history and culture.TheCenter showcases Black artists and their art with a level of respect that is notalways demonstrated at other museums or institutions. I also greatly appreciatethe diversity of Gantt Center supporters. We as Blacks cannot and should notwork in isolation from others, but rather bring them into our world so thatthey will embrace it and appreciate it, not be an onlooker.Black people have a different culture and it cannot be captured with a cookie-cutter approach.That culture is on display everyday at the Center and that’swhy I believe that all visitors to the city should visit. Four years ago, my husbandand I hosted his family reunion in Charlotte. I paid for each registrant (60 total)to have a guided tour of the Gantt Center.That’s my way of showing howimportant I think this museum is to this community.*The member spotlight has been edited for brevity. PULSE Harvey B. Gantt Center Jan-March 2017 page 29

Volunteer Spotlight: Retired TeacherMs. Doris Boyd Gantt Center volunteer for 9 years Where do you call home? I was born and raised in Charlotte, studied at Johnson C. Smith University, moved to Detroit, and then to the Washington, D.C. area. I consider Prince George’s County, Maryland (D.C. metro) home since that is where I raised my children.What brought you to the Gantt Center? I moved back to Charlottein 2006 and it was a bit of culture shock. I’d been looking for something inthe arts after having so much access to the Smithsonian museums and freeconcerts in D.C., so volunteering at the then-Afro-American Cultural Centerhelped me to settle into Charlotte.What do you love most about volunteering at the GanttCenter? I always ask guests what they got out of the visit and I never havenegative feedback. My passion is to learn as much as I can and impart thatinformation to others, so I love the opportunity to learn about our culture andhistory and then give tours around what I have learned from the artists.What makes you continue to serve? As long as I am able, I willcontinue to serve because art is a serious passion for me.What is your favorite Gantt Center memory? It was a harddecision to come up with just one. The Cash Crop exhibit was one of myfavorites because the artist, Stephen Hayes, created it to complete his Master’sdegree. His work was so profound that the Gantt Center wanted to display it.The second was Nellie Ashford:Through My Eyes. I grew up in Charlotte and wasvery young during segregation and her work took me back to that period ofmy life. I also like that she is a self-taught senior. I have been in lots of museumsworldwide and it was the first exhibit I had seen that was entirely folk artcreated by a female.Why should people visit the Gantt Center? The Gantt Centerprovides the opportunity to be educated about our history and culture. It isalso a great networking space for young or aspiring artists.The Center alsogives them an opportunity to exhibit their work.PULSE page 30

COMMUNITY PULSEInside|Out Charlotte Community Initiative Imagine encountering Andy Warhol’s Marilyn outside a YMCA or emerging artist DeShawn Dumas’ Art Official Age in the middle of a park. Beginning April 30th, Charlotte-Mecklenburg residents will be able to do just that! Two local institutions – Bechtler Museum of Modern Art and Harvey B. Gantt Center for African- American Arts + Culture – are joining forcesto bring the national arts initiative “Inside|Out” to Charlotte.Inside|Out is a community activated art project that places high qualityreproductions of artworks in neighborhoods across selected cities and isgenerously funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.Inside|Out Charlotte will join this national effort and feature replicas ofartworks that are currently on display at the Bechtler and the Gantt Center.Both institutions will dot the landscape of Charlotte neighborhoods withbeautifully framed, large-scale reproductions of images by masters like PabloPicasso and emerging artists like Zun Lee, all in an effort to build bridgesamong Charlotteans. In addition, the images that you’ll see in communitiesacross Charlotte will reflect the diversity of our collections and exhibitionsand our broad partnerships.Each community which hosts an exhibition – five to seven reproductionslocated within walking (or biking) distance – will also offer activities andevents during the run of their show. Some of the proposed activities include:trolley tours, outdoor guided painting sessions for beginners, art-makingworkshops for kids and maybe, even, cooking classes.The bonus is that therewill be little or no cost to participants.There are two exhibition seasonsscheduled this year: April 30 – July 8, 2017 and September 3 – December 3,2017. Another two seasons are also slated for 2018. PULSE Harvey B. Gantt Center Jan-March 2017 page 31

ART BEATS 2017 is off to a great start and the Gantt Center has been the recipient of media coverage in the past quarter, locally as well as in the Atlanta metropolitan region. Our newest exhibitions have captured the attention of visitors and news media alike, and our community outreach projects continue to position us as a socially responsible institution in Charlotte. With our robust program and event offerings that continue to Redefine Art, this year promises to be one of our strongest yet in sharing our stories with the greater community. Here are some of the media outlets that have covered our work from January to March: • Burnaway – The Voice of Art in the South, an Atlanta-based organization that provides coverage of the arts in and from Atlanta and the South. Coverage of Alison Saar:The Nature of Us. • Charlotte Magazine and Charlotte Five. Coverage of our new Inside|Out initiative with the Bechtler that takes our artwork into Charlotte neighborhoods for community enjoyment. • Atlanta Journal-Constitution. A profile that lists the Gantt Center as an “Iconic Black History landmark near Georgia.” • WCNC -TV (NBC Charlotte).Television coverage of our January 2017 opening. • Q City Metro. Coverage of Alison Saar:The Nature of Us. • South Charlotte Lifestyle Magazine. Coverage of The Future is Abstract. • Creative Loafing. Coverage of Jordan Casteel: Harlem Notes.PULSE page 32



At Levine Center for the Arts551 South Tryon StreetCharlotte, NC 28202