Pigment International™ hosts conversation with sculptor Gerald Griffin and Third World Press founder Haki Madhubuti on missing monuments in lead up to Black Fine Art Month
Pigment International™ hosted a conversation between artist/sculptor Gerald Griffin and founder of Third World Press, Haki R. Madhubuti at the Gerald Griffin Gallery on Friday July 16th. The conversation centered on art and activism and presented a perspective on Chicago’s current monument conversations. The exchange was taped in preparation for the third annual Black Fine Art Month that kicks off October 1.
Since the racial unrest of 2020, there have been efforts to dismantle, remove and destroy monuments in the Chicago area that glorify historical figures who were also colonizers and enslavers. While a commission has been appointed to study how to proceed, there remains division on what comes next. The conversation between Griffin and Madhubuti explored what would happen if, rather than removing monuments, new ones were installed that complete the missing stories of history. Griffin has created a series of sculptures that speak to that missing history. They include a bust of Vice President Kamala Harris, a full body makett of President Barack Obama and a bust of the young abolitionistFrederick Douglass. Griffin’s intent is to have the pieces bronzed and produced in monument size to stand alongside those already in place throughout the city.
“Pigment tells the authentic stories of the Black art ecosystem, and the conversation with Gerald and Haki is timely and relevant as we look back on the racial unrest of 2020,” said founder Patricia Andrews-Keenan. “Our goal is to explore how Black art specifically can help tell a more inclusive picture of our country’s history, and the work Gerald is doing is key to that.” Black Fine Art Month will open on Friday October 1, with a conversation at the DuSable to include Griffin, DuSable Museum of African American History CEO Perri Irmer and BLM activists.
Black Fine Art Month is a national celebration and Pigment International is proud to once again partner with the DuSable Museum of African American History in the endeavor. Among those joining in the celebration are the African American Arts Alliance, the South Side Community Art Center, Contemporary Art Museum Houston(CAMH) and the August Wilson African American Cultural Center in Pittsburg. Pigment welcomes inquiries from artists and others who are interested in participating. Pigment welcomes participants from across the country. For more information they may e-mail pigmentintl@gmail.com.
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Held each October, Black Fine Art Month is a global celebration of the Black Fine Art aesthetic, an annual recognition of artists, innovators, collectors, curators and those vested in the Black Art tradition, and an opportunity to commemorate and elevate these contributions through art programming. Black Fine Art Month is an initiative of Pigment International™. The Salons will be streamed live via YouTube and on social media. The celebration will be documented in Pigment Magazine, an Ozzie Award Finalist for “Best Design for New Magazine.” Visit Pigment International on IG, FB and Twitter
