A new exhibit is opening at Fort Hunt’s Nepenthe Gallery, highlighting artwork by a variety of Black artists.
The “Important, Inspiring & Joyful Artworks by Black Artists” exhibition will open at the gallery in Hollin Hall Shopping Center (7918 Fort Hunt Road) with an ‘ART+WINE+CHEESE’ event on Thursday, June 4, and run through July 15.
The five-part exhibit features works by renowned Black artists, including Romare Bearden, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Faith Ringgold. The opening reception will feature a talk by Darlene Taylor, a multimedia artist and co-faculty advisor at Howard University whose art will be included in the exhibition.
Visitors can also attend a series of gallery talks throughout the exhibition, including discussions led by local art history teacher Kara Sandoval and internationally acclaimed Nigerian artist Victor Ekpuk.
Gallery owner Carrie Garland said the exhibit celebrates the significant contributions Black artists have made to the art world.
“As we continue our work at Nepenthe of celebrating and selling art, the significance and influence of Black artists grow and deepen,” Garland wrote in a release.
In addition to American and African artists, the exhibition will include several works by indigenous Australian artists, according to Nepenthe Gallery.
The full schedule of events for Nepenthe’s Important, Inspiring and Joyful Artworks by Black Artists exhibition:
- June 4th: Darlene Taylor of Howard University will present her works.
- June 11th: Kali Jones of Stella Jones Gallery will lead a discussion of the works of three legacy artists: Sarah Albritton, Richard Dempsey, and Gwen Knight.
- June 25th: Kara Sandoval, a local art history teacher, will discuss Romare Bearden and two of his works will be on view The Piano Lesson and Conjunction.
- July 2nd: Jeff Trafidlo, art collector and fine art appraiser, will discuss one of his favorite artists, Purvis Young (American 1943-2010).
- July 9th: Victor Ekpuk (Nigerian b. 1964) will be at Nepenthe to discuss his career as an artist and his pieces Wise One and Mask.
The list of featured artists is below.
- Cey Adams
- Sarah Albritton
- Ann Murfee Allen
- Jean-Michel Basquiat
- Romare Bearden
- Elizabeth Catlett
- Richard Dempsey
- Victor Ekpuk
- Erika James-Jackson
- Gwen Knight
- Wosene Worke Kosrof
- Dr. Esther Mahlangu
- Nelson Mandela
- Faith Ringgold
- Alison Saar
- Darlene Taylor
- Purvis Young
