Spencer celebrates Aaron Douglas
A major exhibition celebrating the life, work and legacy of Aaron Douglas, an African-American painter and illustrator from Kansas recognized as the most important visual artist of the Harlem Renaissance, will run through Dec. 2 at KU's Spencer Museum of Art.
Seven years in the making, "Aaron Douglas: African American Modernist" brings together nearly 100 works from public institutions and private collections across the country. The Spencer-organized exhibition is the first-ever national traveling retrospective of Douglas' work. In 2008 it will move from KU to Nashville's Frist Center for the Visual Arts, the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C., and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York City. More information about the exhibition, national conference and public programming is online at www.aarondouglas.ku.edu.
Born in 1899 to laborer parents in Topeka, Douglas overcame many obstacles to pursue his passion for art and ideas. He was one of the first African-American artists to portray racial themes within the context of modern art. His ambitious pursuit of justice through his work continues to influence artists today. Read more about Douglas and the exhibition at Spencer, and click here to read about Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, g'80, proclaiming Saturday, Sept. 29, "Aaron Douglas Day" in Kansas.
