Press Release: Art of the African Diaspora
Featuring Over 150 Artists of African Descent
Richmond, CA: The Richmond Art Center announces Art of the African Diaspora, an exhibition featuring over 150 artists of African Descent. The exhibition will be on view in the Richmond Art Center’s Main and West Galleries from January 14 through to March 13, 2020. This exhibition will be accompanied by self-guided open studio tours and satellite exhibitions at 30 different venues across the Bay Area.
Exhibition: January 14 – March 13, 2020
Artistic Achievement Awardees’ Talk: Saturday, January 25, 12:30-2pm
Reception: Saturday, January 25, 2-5pm
Featured Speaker Event: Saturday, February 1, 12:30-2pm
Closing Party: Friday, March 13, 3-5pm
Richmond Art Center
2540 Barrett Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804
Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm
Events Around the Bay Area
Open Studios: Saturday, February 29 and Sunday, March 1; Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March 8; and Saturday, March 14 and Sunday, March 15, 2020
Satellite Exhibitions: Throughout January, February and March 2020
Art of the African Diaspora was formerly known as The Art of Living Black. The Steering Committee of artists that produces the event announced the name change as a reflection of the new energy behind the event, which was founded in 1997 by the late Jan Hart-Schuyers and late Rae Louise Hayward.
“The name The Art of Living Black belongs to the late founders’ families,” explains Stephen Bruce, artist and chair or the Steering Committee. “We remain dedicated to the spirit of Jan and Rae and will honor them by producing a stellar community event for artists of African descent. However, the time has come for us to have a name that will allow us the autonomy to grow and reflect this new era for the event. ”
In 2020, special events for the Art of the African Diaspora at the Richmond Art Center include an artist talk with Artistic Achievement Awardees KaliMa Amilak, Zoë Boston, and Abi Mustapha on Saturday, January 25, 12:30-2pm, followed by a reception featuring live music from 2-5pm. A featured speaker event (speaker tba) will happen Saturday, February 1, 12:30-2pm with the 2021 Artistic Achievement Awardees to be announced.
This year over 95 artists will participate in open studios and satellite exhibitions. Venues hosting artists include Bridge Storage and ArtSpace (Richmond), CoBiz (Richmond), Creative Framing and Gallery (Oakland), Dorks Tec Café (Berkeley), Ethnic Notions Fine Art Gallery (Vallejo), Joyce Gordon Gallery (Oakland), JPosh Designs (Oakland), SHOH Gallery (Berkeley), and Village Theatre Art Gallery (Danville). Details about the off-site exhibitions and open studios can be found in the Art of the African Diaspora guide, published January 2020.
KaliMa Amilak is one of 2020’s Artistic Achievement Awardees. She acknowledges Art of the African Diaspora is an important opportunity for emerging artists, “When I received the award for me what that meant… was a reiteration to keep going. Keep going with my art. Keep going with expanding as an artist in my career. It’s an affirmation in moving forward.”
Participating Artists: AkeemRaheem, Aneu’re, AnttonioDesigns, Ester M. Armstrong, Jason Austin, Latisha Baker, Irene Bee Kain, Derrick Bell, Randolph Belle, Jae Me Bereal, Charles Blackwell, Lorraine Bonner, Zoë Boston, Donna Meke’da Bradley, J.B. Broussard, Cedric Brown, Floyd Brown, Marguerite Browne, Valerie Brown-Troutt, Stephen Bruce, Lawrence Buford, Melanin Buford, Ron Calime, Orin Carpenter, Marsha Carter, Elishes Cavness III, Celise, Toshia Christal, Claude Lockhart Clark, Lottye Clayton, Gary Collins, Tiffany Conway (Project Get Free), Zwanda Cook, Kelvin Curry, Diamela Cutino, Patricia Daigre McGee, Bill A. Dallas, Jim Dennis, Pete Dent, Doitshā, Gene Dominique, Angela Douglas, Anna W. Edwards, Louise Terry Eubanks, Jimi Evins, Candi Farlice, Vaughn Filmore, a. d. floyd, Naomi Floyd, Kaya Fortune, Donna Gatson, Carla Golder, Grandma’s Hands, Renata Gray, Stephen Greer, Charles Harlins, Raven Harper, Nannette Y. Harris-Jones, Idris Hassan, Raymond L. Haywood, Evelyn Hicks, Karla Higgins, Rose Hill, Yolanda Holley, Mitchell Howard, Ozell Hudson Jr, Steve Hurst, Pam Jackson, Kimberly V. Johnson, Michael Johnson, Will Johnson, Virginia Jourdan, JPosh Aubry (Janina), KaliMa Julien, Val Kai, Jessica Keener, Travis “Trav Lyrics” Keeton, H Lenn Keller, Leon Kennedy, Dana King, James Knox, Dulama LeGrande, Jennifer A. Lockette, Maalak, Alix J. Maglorie, Ajuan Mance, Andrea McCoy Harvey, Shonna McDaniels, Genesse McGaugh, Susan McGuire, Brianna Mills, James Moore, Abi Mustapha, Mychal, Halisi Noel-Johnson, Arthur Norcome, Carla Oden, Kwadwo Otempong, Elmarise Owens, Sean Papillion, Pat Patterson, Yolanda ThaSun Patton, Raife Pickett, Cori Nicole Pillows, Damon Powell – Artist &Theologian, Rais, Kumi Rauf, Gwendolyn Reed, Marva Reed, Ashlei Reign, Justice Renaissance, Julee Richardson, Joseph Robinson, Dawn Rudd, Wanda Sabir, Ronnie Sampson, Ron Moultrie Saunders, Jabali Sawicki, Yasmin Sayyed, Malik Seneferu, Malik Seneferu, Osaze Seneferu, Shanju, James Shorter, Akili Simba, Thomas Robert Simpson, Bertrell Smith, Karen Smith, Chanell Stone, Mark Sublett, Thomas Tandy, Stephanie Thames, Atiba Sylvia Thomas, Mildred Thompson, Michelle Tompkins, Tomye, Karin Turner – karinsArt, Orlonda Uffre, Olaitan Valerie, BJ VanBuren, Paula Vaughan, Charles Walker, Xan Blood Walker, Jennifer Inez Ward, Fan Warren, Horace Washington, Lois Williams, Nedra T. Williams, WilParish, Jazmyne Woffard-Jones, TheArthur Wright (SiGiDiArt), Jasmine Young
About the Richmond Art Center: The Richmond Art Center is the largest visual arts center in the East Bay, delivering exciting arts experiences to people of all ages who reflect the diverse richness of our community. We do this through onsite Studio classes and Exhibitions, and offsite Art in the Community programs.
Richmond Art Center
2540 Barrett Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804
Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm
The Richmond Art Center originated in 1936 when local artist Hazel Salmi, who worked for the WPA, traversed the streets of Richmond with a suitcase packed with art supplies, eager to teach art to anyone interested. Today, everything we do at the Center continues to breathe life into Salmi’s original vision: That within every person lives an artist. Annually we teach thousands of students through classes taught by professional artists; onsite in our six large studios, and off-site via partnerships with community organizations. We also mount 14-16 rotating exhibitions yearly in our four gallery spaces that display the work of youth, emerging and established Bay Area artists. richmondartcenter.org
Image: KaliMa Amilak, Regal Attendance, 2019. Courtesy of the Artist
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