February 25, 1928
"One-Man Show of Art by Negro, First of Kind Here, Opens Today," read the headline on a front page article in The New York Times. The article announced the opening of Archibald J. Motley, Jr.'s show at the New Gallery On Madison Avenue. It was the first time in history that an artist made the front page of The New York Times and it was the second one-person show by an African American artist (the first being Henry O. Tanner). African scenes, voodoo dances, and African Americans at leisure were the themes presented by the artist.
*Archibald John Motley, Junior (October 7, 1891, New Orleans, Louisiana – January 16, 1981,[1] Chicago, Illinois) was an African-American painter. f He studied painting at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago during the 1910s, graduating in 1918. He is most famous for his colorful chronicling of the African-American experience during the 1920s and 1930s, and is considered one of the major contributors to the Harlem Renaissance.
2 comments:
Motley's work is absolutely astounding!!! Some of his paintings are permanently exhibited at Hampton University and the characters and colors just leap out at you and you just hear and feel the "happy". Some pieces were also included in an exhibit at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco a few years ago. I do hope this exhibit goes on tour. If you ever have an opportunity to see it, please do give yourself a treat.
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