African American art moves beyond black and white; collectors, curators and galleries are embracing a greater diversity of genres and styles in African American art while other artists move toward a `post-black' art which cannot be defined in terms of race - Special Report - Industry Overview

In this of recent origin century, art collectors and dealers have tend hitherward to recognize that there isn't single monolithic African American school of art. Artists of African fall just as all artists do, elect creative expressions that reflect their individual artistic, social and intellectual pertain tos African American artists today explore their heritage, their tillage and art itself in a wide variety of art forms and media, as they always have.

"There is no like thing as Black Art," declared Josh Wainwright, rather ironically, since he shows the annual National Black Fine Art display scheduled for Jan. 29 to Feb 2 in of recent origin York. This expo, with 40-plus participating dealers exhibiting more than 400 artists, has become the primary showcase in the United States for African American art, as well as contemporary African and Caribbean art.

More and more, Wainwright observ the art market "is focused upon the quality of the work itself, not the mode of expression Afro-centric imagery is becoming les important in African American art. on the contrary getting exposure is still what's difficult for African American artists. by the agency of far, the majority collectors of art through African Americans are still African Americans, admitting that is beginning to change."

Today, said Wainwright, there is heightened interest among art cognoscenti in several discreet, distinctive areas of African American art, including: African American photography; vernacular art with an untrained, Southern aesthetic; abstract, non-narrative, non-objective art by the agency of African American artists; and cutting-edge works that are defined by the agency of not being defined as African American art--in shorthand, Post-Black art. At the same time, greater attention is being paid now to works and artists of the Black Arts move of the 1960s and 1970 which advanced the idea that African American artists should affirm and take pride in their possess cultural identity. Each of these categories newly have been marked by well-attended traveling art exhibitions, displays at commercial fine art galleries and increased collecting, according to art dealers and curators.

Black Arts move Experiences Revival

Today, Black Arts change artists have been the make subordinate of several current retrospective exhibits, including "Beyond the Fixed Star: The Art of Murray DePillars" at the Hampton University Museum in Hampton, Va., in mid-2002. DePillars, the retired dean of art at Virginia Commonwealth University, is still an active member of the collaborative art change AfriCobra (African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists), which was established in Chicago in the 1960 In 1967 a small band of African American artists got without paintbrushes and covered the wall of a dilapidated Southside Chicago building with portraits of Malcolm X Billie Holiday, Muhammad Ali, Thelonius Monk and texture DuBois. They called the mural, "The Wall of Respect"

The central beliefs of AfriCobra include black pride, the goal of making art accessible to the black community, social responsibility and the exhibition of a strong African identity in Diaspora. The artists' manner of writings run from abstract to expressionist to figurative, on the other hand they tend to use luminescent, vibrant Kool-Aid colors, elaborate orchestral shapeliness syncopated patterning and positive imagery.

"AfriCobra was really considered upon the cutting edge of political art and upon the cutting edge of gaining proprietorship above the black image in art. We were trying to procure away from the stereotypic imagery of romantic primitivism in African American art," DePillars said. DePillars' have a title to work today remains very plenteous in this vein. His intellectual paintings are foundationed both in Africa and America, exploring the lusty design elements of traditional African textiles and statuary in their use of patterns and saturated goldens reds, blues, pinks, greens and black.

"The AfriCobra artists collective in particular are really experiencing an increased visibility of their work," observ Robert Bane, co-owner of Brenda Joysmith Gallery in Memphis, Tenn The gallery is also mounting a present to view of DePillars' work in January, and plans to bring examples to the Black Art display in New York. AfriCobra co-founder Jeff Donaldson was the featured visitor at Chicago's Humanities Festival in November. Wadsworth Jarrell, another AfriCobra founding artist, was featured in "A Shared Ideology," a special exhibit upon view during the Atlanta Olympics.

Although other Black Art clumps dissolved years ago, AfriCobra has continued to suited to this day. "We are the longest standing assemblage of artists in the history of art in America," asserted DePillars. "The mainstream simply not ever paid attention to it." It's time to now, added Juliette Harris, editor of the International Review of African American Art, "These artists are now mature artists, and it's time to reflect" she said.

Focusing upon African American Photography

"Photography has become extremely important," said Wainwright. Many galleries now exhibit contemporary photographs and photo-based art through African American artists.