African American Masters

Book excerpt: Accompanying the much-publicized exhibition of the same name that will be traveling throughout the nation over the next two years, this selection presents works from the renowned collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the nation's greatest repository of African American art. From Faith Ringgold's fabric interpretation of the Harlem Renaissance to Gordon Parks's celebrated 1996 photograph of Muhammad Ali, the paintings, sculptures, and photographs reproduced here--full-page and in color--reflect the rich and varied experience of African American artists in the 20th century. Coverage ranges from pioneer works created early in the century, when African Americans were actively discouraged from becoming artists, to important pieces from the Harlem Renaissance, to modern and contemporary selections by today's well-established artists. A few highlights include Roy DeCarava's 1949 photograph Graduation, Romare Bearden's 1974 collage Empress of the Blues, and works by the noted African American sculptor Augusta Savage and assemblage artist Betye Saar. The text--informative commentaries on the individual pictures and creators--completes this wonderful introduction to an important chapter in the history of American art.