SHORT TAKE
Museum ‘embracing diverse voices’ with new exhibit Not only is the Bakersfield Museum of Art exhibiting a beautiful collection of work, spanning several mediums and styles, but the current exhibit — “Embracing Diverse Voices: 80 Years of African Art” — is displaying a collection of culture and history for the community to embrace. The exhibit is organized by the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts in Kalamazoo, Mich. “Embracing Diverse Voices” explores the diversity of experience and artistic expression among American artists of African descent. “This traveling exhibition was selected because of its content, variety of artwork, and caliber of artists participating,” said museum curator Vikki Cruz. “The exhibit contains more than 65 works by 30 artists and explores the diversity of experience and expression among American artists of African descent through paintings, photography, sculpture, book arts and prints. The exhibit will run through March 10, and will be on display during Black History Month, another reason why it was selected for the winter run of exhibits.” Artists include Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, Richard Hunt, Lorna Simpson, Hughie Lee-Smith, Charles Henry Alston, James Van
Der Zee, Kara Walker, Charles White and Ernest C. Withers, plus Jacob Lawrence’s complete “Legend of John Brown” series. These artists define their identity through such varied factors as gender, culture, history, race and social status. Also being exhibited are “You, Me, Them” works by Mequitta Ahuja and Robert Pruitt, two contemporary artists of African descent whose work examines cultural identity through portraiture. “I first took notice of Robert Pruitt’s work during a trip to Houston. Claire Putney and I were reintroduced to his work during a gallery visit in Culver City, where we were both able to view an extensive body of his work in person,” Cruz said. “Both Claire and I agreed that his portraiture work would compliment Mequitta’s work and would be a perfect fit to the exhibit.” The exhibition runs through March 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Bakersfield Museum of Art is at 1930 R St. For more information: 323-7219 or bmoa.org. — Jason Gutierrez
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