Hickory – Hickory Museum of Art’s newest exhibition, Charles White: A Little Higher will examine the ongoing relevance of Charles White’s [1918–1979] artistic achievement today. This exhibition weaves together the complex threads of White’s compelling life and work, providing a thorough overview of his oeuvre, including the twelve paintings commissioned by the Johnson Publishing Company to illustrate Lerone Bennett, Jr.’s “The Shaping of Black America” (1975); a suite that has not been publicly exhibited in our region before.
Best remembered for meticulously rendered paintings and drawings of his fellow African Americans, White committed himself to create “images of dignity,” which elevated and ennobled his subjects without shying away from the realities of systemic racism and oppression. His body of work is marked by consummate skills of observation and powerful social critique tempered by a genuine love for humanity. His artwork magnified the power of the black figure, communicating universal human themes while also focusing attention on the lives of African Americans. It also reflects his deep admiration for Social Realists, American Regionalists, and Mexican Muralists as well as his steadfast belief in a better tomorrow. At a time when the art world increasingly favored abstraction, White developed a distinctive and labor-intensive approach to art-making and remained committed to a representational style that explored social and political themes ranging from the ongoing fight for freedom and equality to the dignity and struggles of labor. Born and educated in the South Side of Chicago, White was one of the preeminent artists to emerge during the city’s Black Renaissance of the 1930s and 1940s.
Presented in conjunction with Charles White: A Little Higher, the Windows Gallery exhibition spotlights the artwork of White’s first wife artist Elizabeth Catlett in the exhibition collectHMA: Elizabeth Catlett on view from March 18 through July 30. They were married from 1941 – 1946. This exhibition examines the influences they had on each other’s work.
The Whitener Gallery exhibition, collectHMA: WPA Artists, highlights White’s first public mural – “Five Great American Negroes” — which was created during his employment with the WPA (Works Progress Administration). The exhibition tells the story of the WPA’s Federal Art Project which provided work for unemployed artists as part of FDR’s New Deal. WPA Artists from HMA’s collection will be featured including Lawrence Lebduska, Berenice Abbott, Selma Burke, and George Pearse Ennis. The exhibition will be on view from March 18 through July 30.
HMA’s new Executive Director Clarissa Starnes said, “The magnitude of the artwork in this exhibition is unlike Hickory has ever seen. From the collaboration with the Lowe Art Museum and the Cincinnati Art Museum on the exhibition itself to the programming and partnerships already in place with the Hickory Public Libraries, Charles White: A Little Higher is already fulfilling our mission of bringing people together. Once our visitors get the chance to engage with the work, we know they will also be inspired. From there, creativity abounds.”
HMA Members will have the first opportunity to view the exhibitions on Friday, March 17 before it officially opens to the public on Saturday, March 18. Executive Director Clarissa Starnes and Exhibitions Manager Kristina Anthony will lead members through the galleries offering inside information on the making of the show.
HMA will host An Evening with Charles White on Friday, March 31 from 7 to 9 PM. The performance will begin in the SALT Block’s Drendel Auditorium at 7 PM and conclude with time to view White’s artworks in the Coe Gallery. Actor Jordan Randall of Hickory Community Theatre brings Charles White to life through the artist’s own words as penned in an essay from 1955, “The Path of a Negro Artist.” White wrote that music “has remained one of the most important influences on my work.” Tiffany Napier, musical director of the Hickory Area Community Choir, is producing musical interludes featuring the choir highlighting some of the artists who inspired White: Mahalia Jackson, Harry Belafonte, and Paul Robeson. Admission is FREE however seating is limited. Doors open at 6:15 PM.
Hickory Museum of Art is located on the SALT Block, 243 3rd Avenue NE, Hickory. Admission is free. For more information about museum exhibitions, art classes, field trips, and events visit www.HickoryArt.org or call the Museum at 828-327-8576, ext 201. Business sponsorship information is also available at the same telephone number.
Photo: Charles White [1918-1979], Cat’s Cradle, 1972, etching, Private Collection; Image © The Charles White Archives.
