Two new exhibitions will kick off the new year at the FIA. Wonderfully Made: The Artis Collection of African American Art will open the year on Saturday, January 18. This exhibition presents selections assembled by Flint residents Anthony J. and Davida J. Artis, from their personal collection. The pieces were chosen to both move and inspire museum guests.
The Community exhibition features work in a variety of mediums by African American artists in the FIA collection. Themes of history and place, identity and representation, and social justice and self-expression are explored in works by some of the most important artists of the 19th century to present day. Artists include Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, Jacob Lawrence and Kara Walker. Community will serve as the focus of the 2020 Community Gala held on January 25. The Gala will begin with a lecture entitled, “A Manner of Space: Black Modality in African American Art,” and it will be given by Dr. Kelli Morgan from the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
Programming for both exhibitions includes a performance by Flint’s first Poet Laureate, Semaj Brown, and a collectors’ talk by Anthony Artis. Brown will perform poetry inspired by work featured in the exhibitions. Both the talk and performance are free for the public.
Also, during Community, visitors will have the chance to vote for one of three potential new works, on loan from the artists, not currently available in the FIA collection. Those interested in voting may do so from January 26-March 8, 2020. The work with the largest number of votes will be purchased by the museum from funds raised by the gala.
For more information please visit flintarts.org.
About the FIA
The Flint Institute of Arts is Michigan’s second largest art museum and one of the largest museum arts schools in the nation. The FIA’s mission is to advance the understanding and appreciation of art for all through collections, exhibitions, and educational programs.
