L-R: Eric G. Pryor, Sanaa Lathan, and Stan Lathan
The Harlem School of the Arts (HSA) celebrated its achievements over the past year with a masquerade ball at The Grand Ballroom at The Plaza in New York City this past Monday. Honorees included actor Sanaa Lathan, producer/director Stan Lathan, author and executive director at Morgan Stanley Sandra L. Richards, and singer/songwriter, Michael Feinstein. But HSA president, Eric G. Pryor was particularly proud to highlight the success of one of his passion projects: giving a facelift to the HSA Gallery Space.
When Pryor arrived at HSA last year he knew that one of his top agenda items as president would be the renovation of the HSA Gallery Space. Occupying a central location within the building’s ground floor, the 3,500 square foot area was beset with an exposed brick wall that made it challenging to professionally mount artworks and lacked adequate lighting.
“It was clear to me we could have a professional level exhibition space,” said Pryor, of the site which is also used for public programming. “I knew the gallery would help us to be taken seriously in the visual arts space and give us an opportunity to bring in new audiences.”
Beginning in October of last year renovations began and lasted for about three months. The project estimated at costing $25,000—paid for by an HSA board member—included framing out the brick wall with plywood and drywall and adding track lighting to the 40-foot high ceilings.
Renovated HSA Gallery Space.
Since then the gallery has hosted an exhibition by Fabiola Jean-Louis, is currently displaying Isis Kenney’s work, and in spring 2017 will present a solo show by celebrated artist, Danny Simmons. The gallery’s makeover is not only surface level as Pryor plans to expand the school’s visual arts department with an artist-in-residence program and is committed to shoring up efforts to provide career-focused instruction.
“We are looking at foundation drawing and developing a design and digital curriculum. The students who want to do fine art can still go that route, but hopefully design training helps them if they need to make a living,” he said. “We want to make certain when they graduate and go to college and begin their initial steps into forming a career, that they have the skills to start their own business or work and be employable in the creative sector.”
American Federation of Arts Previews Twelve New Shows
L-R: Alice Walton, Pauline Willis, and Wangechi Mutu.
Growth was also a focal point at this past Tuesday’s American Federation of Arts (AFA) Cultural Leadership Awards at the Metropolitan Club in New York. This year AFA presented awards to Walmart heiress and chairman and founder of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Alice Walton and renowned visual artist, Wangechi Mutu.
AFA, a nonprofit organization focused on traveling exhibitions internationally is gearing up for its next ambitious phase of presenting 12 shows to 40 museums over the next four years. During the event attendees previewed the upcoming exhibitions with select images provided on two monitors. For AFA director, Pauline Willis the exhibitions are intentionally diverse and inclusive of narratives underrepresented within the mainstream with slated shows on contemporary indigenous art, women artists in Paris from 1850-1900, Latin American artists in Paris from 1918-1939, ancient art from The Asia Society, and works by African-American artists from the Studio Museum in Harlem’s permanent collection.
“We want to bring diverse audiences into museums and that’s what it’s all about. Finally it’s happening more and more,” said Willis. “AFA raises funds through events like the Cultural Leadership Awards so we can bring these exhibitions to communities where they don’t have access to this kind of art.”
Walton received her introduction via video recording from former president, Bill Clinton and Mutu was presented with her award by professor and curator at New York University, Tisch, Dr. Deborah Willis. In her remarks Willis recalled following Mutu’s journey from her days studying at Cooper Union to exhibitions throughout the world to launching her campaign, Africa’s Out! The initiative uses the resources of artistic communities, within the African diaspora, to address social and political issues through grants, residencies, public art commissions, and collaborations.
Wangechi Mutu (l) and Dr. Deborah Willis (r).
In accepting her award, Mutu reaffirmed her commitment to using art as a catalyst for social change. “In Nairobi I recently expanded my practice to create a deeper connection between my home birth in Kenya and home of adoption in New York,” she said. “It is through art that I express my existence and speak up for more equality for women, in particular and greater humanity for those who suffer simply for being born who they are whether it is ethnicity, gender, sexuality or religion. All of this I yearn to say through my art.”
****
The column, On the “A” w/Souleo, covers the intersection of the arts, culture entertainment and philanthropy in Harlem and beyond and is written by Souleo, founder and president of arts administration company, Souleo Enterprises.