CAAM Here & Now - Spring 2019

here & now California African American Museum Winter 2019 Spring

welcome.

Have you attended a public program lately at CAAM? Maybe it was an art workshop geared for families, an exhibition tour with a contemporary artist, or a panel on a seldom-discussed aspect of African American history in the West. Our audiences are varied in many ways: in their ages, ethnicities, interests, and even in the time of day they like to visit the Museum! We take an expansive approach to planning public programs, tapping the resources of our own diverse CAAM community and keeping in mind the many different kinds of people who like to come to the Museum—as well as those who haven’t yet been but we hope to welcome in the future.

It’s a highly collaborative method! Before each season, CAAM’s education department organizes a daylong meeting (pictured on these pages) during which curators give presentations about upcoming exhibitions to the gallery services staff, administration, and volunteer docent and history councils. Next comes a big brainstorming session, where everyone shares ideas for potential public programs to complement the new exhibitions that will be on display. Each of our community members—from recently hired gallery attendants to longtime volunteers— brings their ideas, expertise, and experiences to the table, and we value all of their input.

This season’s results are featured in the following pages of Here & Now. As always, we’ve put together an enticing, eclectic mix of programs. If you see something that piques your interest, please mark your calendar to join us and RSVP online via our website. Though nearly all events are free, knowing you’re coming helps us with planning. We look forward to seeing you soon!

4 exhibitions | 10 public programs | 15 for families | 18 visit 2

Photo: HRDWRKER

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exhibitions on view

exhibitions Ernie Barnes: A Retrospective May 8 – September 8, 2019 For many fans of 1970s American television, Ernie Barnes’s (1938–2009) painting The Sugar Shack is no doubt instantly familiar. The 1976 work depicting a dance scene—which was the cover art for Marvin Gaye’s album I Want You—achieved cult status by regularly appearing on the hit sitcom Good Times, inspiring a community of television viewers who discussed it after each episode.

Barnes created some of the twentieth century’s most iconic images of African American life. Known for his unique “neo-mannerist” approach of presenting figures through elongated forms, he captured his observations of life growing up in North Carolina, playing professional football in the NFL (1960–1964), and living in Los Angeles. Ernie Barnes: A Retrospective includes examples of his paintings of entertainment and music, and also highlights how Barnes, the official artist of the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, extensively represented athletes and sports.

Popularly admired—yet not widely known within the mainstream art world—Barnes is revered by a diverse group of collectors and admirers across the country. Ernie Barnes: A Retrospective presents art and ephemera documenting his life and career and examines his place in African American culture.

Ernie Barnes: A Retrospective is guest curated by Bridget R. Cooks, Associate Professor, Departments of African American Studies and Art History at the University of California, Irvine, with assistance from Vida L. Brown, Visual Arts Curator and Program Manager.

Ernie Barnes, The Sugar Shack, 1976. Acrylic on canvas, 36 x 48 in. Collection of Jim and Jeannine Epstein

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Plumb Line: Charles White and the Contemporary Through August 25, 2019 A prolific painter, printmaker, muralist, draftsman, and photographer whose career spanned more than half a century, Charles White’s artistic portrayals of black subjects, life, and history were extensive and far-reaching.

Plumb Line features contemporary artists whose work in the realm of black individual and collective life resonates with White’s profound and continuing influence.

From abstraction to figuration, the artists of Plumb Line find conversation with White through the largesse of their canvases, expansive renderings of black skin and black community, and in the treatment of black past and presence in ways that are both epic and intimate.

The plumb line, an architectural tool used to determine verticality, is a featured element in White’s Birmingham Totem, suggesting the work of black artists as architects of change. White himself can also be considered an artistic plumb line: a builder of black artistic opportunities and a compass directing us toward new aesthetic, liberatory possibilities.

Plumb Line is curated by Essence Harden, independent curator, and Leigh Raiford, Associate Professor of African American Studies at the University of California at Berkeley, for the California African American Museum. The exhibition is presented as a companion to the LACMA exhibitions Charles White: A Retrospective and Life Model: Charles White and his Students.

Deborah Roberts, He looks like me, 2019 (detail). Paper, pastel, tissue, buttons, ink and acrylic on panel, 60 x 48 in. Copyright Deborah Roberts. Courtesy the artist and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London

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exhibitions on view Adia Millett: Breaking Patterns Through August 25, 2019 In Adia Millett: Breaking Patterns, Oakland-based artist Adia Millett delves into issues of identity, personal memory, and collective history. She cycles her evocative imagery through a variety of media, including collage, assemblage, photography, textiles, and painting, creating multilayered representations of deconstructed structures and imaginary interiors that stand in for the human experience and provide a dwelling place for a black aesthetic. A central concern of Millett’s is the history of African Americans, and the history of African American women in particular. Her quilts— made from discarded clothing, sheets, other quilts, and curtains—allude to domesticity and craftwork. Flying Coffee Table (2015), for example, is an elaborate, process-oriented quilt that reveals Millett’s use of improvisation and intuition; the artist disassembled an existing quilt and rearranged it into an irregular, unexpected form.

Breaking Patterns also features Millett’s miniature houses, including Capital Gain (2011), whose intriguing, mirrored interiors are charged with psychological unrest, offering a deep exploration of memory and loss. She photographs these tiny interiors, transforming the spaces into surreal, self-contained vignettes that resemble dreamscapes. Her collages in turn utilize fragments of her photographic prints, and her mixed-media constructions reuse model-making supplies from the miniature houses. As Millett repurposes these subjects and materials, she adds layers of meaning to her work’s distorted spaces and skewed perspectives. Metaphorically, they capture the complexity of the body and, by extension, its potential identities; they also stand as structures for human subjectivity—vessels for multiple psychological states of being.

This exhibition is curated by Mar Hollingsworth, Visual Arts Curator and Program Manager.

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Aspects of Nude: Selections from the Permanent Collection Through September 8, 2019 Aspects of Nude showcases the ways in which artists have portrayed the human form in its purest state: bare.

For centuries the study of nude models, in various poses, has been a fundamental source for artists to master drawing skills and learn to represent the subtleties of the human physique. The works in this exhibition capture the essence of the male and female body through both realistic and abstract compositions using a spectrum of materials. The bronze surfaces of John Wilson’s Standing Woman (1980) and Charles Dickson’s Mae (2000) emphasize the curvatures of women likely of color; while Artis Marie Lane’s Emerging First Man (1997) illustrates the upward gaze of a man whose well-defined musculature surfaces from the earth. Frescoes by Alison Saar, photographs by Elisabeth Sunday and Tracy Brown, and paintings by Emmanuel Ekong Ekefrey and Elaine Towns, among other objects, reflect varied approaches to nude figures, using the body to convey emotions or tell particular stories. At times controversial, the subject of the nude remains an important one to artists. Their works, in turn, give viewers the permission to explore the distinctive ways in which the human figure can be rendered, celebrated, and transformed.

The majority of works in Aspects of Nude: Selections from the Permanent Collection are from the permanent collection of the California African American Museum, with additions from private collections. The exhibition is curated by Vida L. Brown, Visual Arts Curator and Program Manager.

Installation view, Adia Millett: Breaking Patterns.. Photo: Marten Elder

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exhibitions on view California Bound: Slavery on the New Frontier, 1848–1865 Through April 28, 2019 “…uses historical photos, documents, and ephemera to chronicle the human catastrophe of slavery in the Golden State.

Tyree Boyd-Pates, a co-curator, said he hoped the materials would help people grapple with the reverberations of the state’s racist legacy.” —California Sun, January 22, 2019

On the occasion of the 170th anniversary of California’s admission into the Union, CAAM presents California Bound: Slavery on the New Frontier, 1848–1865, an exhibition that examines California’s under-recognized involvement with slavery in the 19th century. With powerful photographs, historical documents, and other ephemera, California Bound illuminates the state’s struggles over enslavement in an era that encompassed two wars and the establishment of California first as a territory and then a state. The exhibition highlights major historical events and untold stories of those impacted, and it considers how the state’s oscillation on enslavement produced ripple effects in America’s political structures that are still being felt today.

This exhibition is curated by Tyree Boyd-Pates, History Curator and Program Manager, and Taylor Bythewood-Porter, Assistant History Curator.

Installation view, California Bound: Slavery on the New Frontier, 1848–1865. Photo: Brian Forrest

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The Liberator: Chronicling Black Los Angeles, 1900–1914 Through September 8, 2019 The Liberator was an early 20th-century newspaper that documented the emerging African American population in Los Angeles. Founded in 1900 by Jefferson Lewis Edmonds, a former enslaved African who advocated for improved social and economic conditions for black men and women, the publication reported on local, national, and international news and provided a source of racial upliftment for over a decade. As The Liberator’s editor, Edmonds portrayed Los Angeles as a city of hope for African Americans, particularly compared to the violence and hardship they experienced in the South, and the paper contributed significantly to the city’s rapidly increasing black population. Yet Edmonds also used it as a vehicle to denounce injustices both locally and nationally.

The Liberator: Chronicling Black Los Angeles, 1900–1914 sheds light on the expansion of the city’s African American community, its challenges in a post-Reconstruction era, and its hopes and accomplishments, as captured in the newspaper’s pages. More than a century since The Liberator’s final issue, this exhibition includes rare ephemera, photographs, and artifacts that offer a unique study of the narrative of black Los Angeles.

This exhibition is curated by Tyree Boyd-Pates, History Curator and Program Manager, Taylor Bythewood-Porter, Assistant History Curator, and Arianne Edmonds, Founder of the J.L. Edmonds Project.

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public programs All events are free unless otherwise noted and are subject to change.

Please visit caamuseum.org for the most up-to-date information on upcoming public programs.

RSVP to CAAM programs at 213.744.2024 or rsvp@caamuseum.org

Monday, April 1, 2019 | 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

In Conversation: Kara Walker and Jamillah James Artist Kara Walker is well known for her panoramic friezes of cut-paper silhouettes, usually involving black figures against a white wall, that address the history of American slavery and racism through violent and unsettling imagery. For the Otis College of Art and Design Mandy & Cliff Einstein Visiting Artist Series, Walker will speak about her practice and how art can address the ongoing legacy of slavery in contemporary American life. This lecture coincides with CAAM’s presentation of the exhibition California Bound: Slavery on the New Frontier, 1848–1865. In conversation with Jamillah James, curator at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.

Sunday, April 7, 2019 | 3:00 – 4:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 5, 2019 | 3:00 – 4:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 9, 2019 | 3:00 – 4:30 p.m.

CAAM Reads!

CAAM’s monthly book club continues this spring with titles selected in conjunction with Plumb Line: Charles White and the Contemporary. April’s book is Black Arts West: Culture and Struggle in Postwar Los Angeles

by Daniel Widener. May’s selection is While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement written by Carolyn Maull McKinstry. In June, we discuss Alain Locke’s The New Negro. Join us for lively afternoons of spirited discourse moderated by CAAM’s research librarian, Denise L. Mc Iver.

Presented in partnership with Otis College of Art and Design in celebration of its centennial. The program and series is funded through a generous gift from Mandy and Cliff Einstein.

Kara Walker. Photo: Marcopoulos

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Saturday, April 13, 2019 | 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 11, 2019 | 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

Saturday, June 8, 2019 | 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

Docent-Led Tours Join us every second Saturday and receive an in-depth tour of selected exhibitions led by passionate and knowledgeable members of CAAM’s Volunteer Docent Council. Enjoy spirited conversations about these exhibitions: Adia Millett: Breaking Patterns in April, Plumb Line: Charles White and the Contemporary in May, and The Liberator: Chronicling Black Los Angeles, 1900–1914 in June.

Sunday, April 14, 2019 | 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

In Conversation: Lonnie Bunch III and George O. Davis Join us for a conversation between Lonnie Bunch III, Founding Director, National Museum of African American History and Culture and the founding curator of CAAM during the 1980s, and George O. Davis, Executive Director, California African American Museum, as they discuss CAAM’s history, the power of civic engagement, the ability for art and creative expression to transform communities, and the future of culturally specific institutions.

Saturday, April 13, 2019 | 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Biddy Mason, Slavery, and Resistance in the Building of LA’s African American Community Author Laura Atkins will discuss her new release from Heyday Books, Biddy Mason Speaks Up, co-written with Arisa White. The book explores Mason’s life and gives readers tools for speaking up in their own communities. Additionally, Susan Anderson, Director of Collections, Library, Exhibitions, and Programs at the California Historical Society, will present on slavery and resistance in California’s history. Presented in conjunction with the exhibition California Bound: Slavery on the New Frontier, 1848–1865.

Friday, April 19, 2019 | 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

Curatorial Walkthrough: The Liberator: Chronicling Black Los Angeles, 1900–1914 Tour The Liberator: Chronicling Black Los Angeles, 1900–1914 with exhibition co-curators Tyree Boyd-Pates, History Curator and Program Manager at CAAM; Taylor Bythewood-Porter, Assistant History Curator at CAAM, and Arianne Edmonds, Founder of the J.L. Edmonds Project, to delve deeper into this trailblazing turn-of-the-century black publication.

Congress of Racial Equality conducts march in memory of Negro youngsters killed in Birmingham bombings, All Souls Church, 16th Street, Washington, DC, Wikimedia Commons

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public programs All events are free unless otherwise noted and are subject to change. Please visit caamuseum.org for the most up-to-date information on upcoming public programs. RSVP to CAAM programs at 213.744.2024 or rsvp@caamuseum.org

Sunday, April 28, 2019 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.

Facing History and Ourselves: The Liberator How did Jefferson L. Edmonds, a former slave, come to found a newspaper, advocate for improved social and economic conditions, document the growing African American population in Los Angeles, and report on injustices locally and nationally? Presented in conjunction with The Liberator: Chronicling Black Los Angeles, 1900–1914, join Arianne Edmonds, Founder of the J.L. Edmonds Project and exhibition co-curator, for a discussion with educators from Facing History and Ourselves. Edmonds shares her family’s perseverance, how she discovered this story and its impact on Los Angeles, and how this history can be brought to Southern California classrooms.

Presented in partnership with Facing History and Ourselves, a nonprofit educational organization.

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Friday, May 3, 2019 | 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Back to Back: Artist-led Tours of Plumb Line: Charles White and the Contemporary at CAAM and Charles White: A Retrospective at LACMA LA–based artists Duane Paul and George Evans offer their insights in tours of both CAAM’s Plumb Line: Charles White and the Contemporary and LACMA’s Charles White: A Retrospective. The program begins at 2:00 p.m. with Paul at CAAM exploring the works inspired by White’s legacy; followed by a 4:00 p.m. tour at LACMA with George Evans, looking at White’s work from his early career in Chicago through his later New York and Los Angeles years. Paul and Evans will examine how White’s long career as both artist and teacher influenced generations of artists, including many prominent contemporary artists today.

This program is presented in partnership with LACMA. Free LACMA admission is included with event RSVP through CAAM. Transportation and parking are the responsibility of attendees.

Please note that Jazz at LACMA, the museum’s weekly free jazz concert, begins at 6:00 p.m. following this event.

Wednesday, May 8, 2019 | 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Life Drawing Master Class with Charles Dickson In conjunction with Aspects of Nude: Selections from the Permanent Collection, explore gesture and form in a life drawing master class led by featured artist Charles Dickson. Hear from the artist how his studies transform into sculpture, including in his work featured in the exhibition and in the public artwork on CAAM’s patio, Wish Upon a Star. Then use pencils and other materials to make your own study. Basic supplies provided.

NEW SERIES: What Now? After the Hashtag 2019 marks the sixth anniversary of the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag, coined following George Zimmerman’s acquittal in the shooting death of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin. Over the past six years, #BlackLivesMatter has been Tweeted nearly 30 million times, an average of 17,002 times per day. Activism around #BlackLivesMatter and other hashtags, such as #ImwithKap, #MeToo, and #TimesUp, continues to grow, and social media provides a space for people from all walks of life—from politicians and celebrities to farmers and small business owners—to speak up, be heard, and connect with one another in support of the push for change. However, while social media engages us in tough conversations and raises awareness about everything from gender rights to police brutality, the lasting impact of a hashtag is debatable. Has legislation been enacted, policies changed, or reforms made in response to hashtag initiatives? What, if any, societal shifts have we seen? Has there been backlash?

Join us for lively discussions about the effectiveness and viability of using social media for political engagement and social activism.

Wednesday, May 15, 2019 | 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. #OscarsSoWhite with April Reign As the creator of the hashtag-turned-movement #OscarsSoWhite, April Reign has challenged the lack of representation of people of color and marginalized communities since 2015. Her activism helped diversify the membership of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and initiate a global movement. In 2019, Director Spike Lee, nominated for his first Oscar awards, credited Reign and #OscarsSoWhite for his long-overdue nominations. Four years after the hashtag was introduced, Reign continues to examine its influence, progress, and misconceptions, and she discusses the work that remains to be done to ensure continued representation of marginalized communities in the arts and beyond.

Photo: Lavi Perchik on Unsplash April Reign. Photo: Warwick Saint

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public programs

for families

All events are free unless otherwise noted and are subject to change.

Please visit caamuseum.org for the most up-to-date information on upcoming public programs.

The California African American Museum welcomes children of all ages, and we present a wide range of interactive programs designed especially for families.

From arts and crafts workshops to dance classes and storytelling, come explore art, culture, and history together at CAAM!

RSVP to CAAM programs at 213.744.2024 or rsvp@caamuseum.org

Friday, May 24, 2019 | 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

Curatorial Walkthrough: Aspects of Nude: Selections from the Permanent Collection Explore dynamic interpretations of the human form in Aspects of Nude: Selections from the Permanent Collection. Led by CAAM visual arts curator Vida L. Brown, the tour focuses on the various ways artists render the human figure and explores why artists learn best from drawing the human form.

Sunday, June 2, 2019 | 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

In Conversation: Adia Millett and Kori Newkirk Join us for a conversation with Adia Millett and Los Angeles–based artist Kori Newkirk. Both featured in the influential 2001 exhibition Freestyle at the Studio Museum in Harlem, the artists will expand on their practices and how their works utilize a multiplicity of materials to address a wide range of topics.

Friday, June 7, 2019 | 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

Curatorial Walkthrough: Bridget R. Cooks Join us for a tour of Ernie Barnes: A Retrospective with guest curator Bridget R. Cooks, Associate Professor, Departments of African American Studies and Department of Art History at the University of California, Irvine. Cooks will offer an in-depth look at the exhibition, which features paintings, drawings, and ephemera from Barnes’s life.

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Thursday, June 13, 2019 | 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Marvin Gaye-Oke Get ready for a Marvin Gaye–themed karaoke night celebrating the life and work of the late Ernie Barnes, led by soul singer Torrénce Brannon-reese! This night of song is presented in conjunction with Ernie Barnes: A Retrospective, which includes Barnes’s famous painting The Sugar Shack, which was featured on the cover of Gaye’s I Want You album. Bring your best Motown moves and sing with soul; every willing singer is welcome.

Tuesday, June 25, 2019 | 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Points of Access: Getting Your Sh*t Together for Artists Organized by CAAM and Art + Practice (A+P), the Points of Access series continues with a focus on artists and their need to build a sustained practice. In four public programs, CAAM and A+P welcome artists of all stages and genres to explore the many ways to navigate the art world at each point in their careers, and the lessons learned. Join us for the first program at CAAM with Karen Atkinson, founder and creator of the artist-run company and art project, Getting Your Sh*t Together for Artists. Atkinson will cover the basics and empower artists to develop sustainable and successful careers on their own terms. No prior knowledge is required and all are welcome.

Marvin Gaye. Photo: wikimedia.org

Thursday, April 4, 2019 | 12:00 – 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 23, 2019 | 12:00 – 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday, May 1, 2019 | 12:00 – 4:30 p.m.

Youth Professional Development Workshops Inspired by Charles White, who influenced many artists in his years as a teacher, join us in a workshop series on professional development in the arts for high school-aged youth, led by USC graduate students and faculty. Session one focuses on the basics needed to build a portfolio and apply to college for visual arts and design. Session two will utilize Theatre of the Oppressed techniques to learn leadership and public-speaking skills. Session three will include an introduction to many career paths in the arts, followed by a speed-mentoring exercise where youth will talk one-on-one with professors, grad students, and professionals in the field. The events will take place during the school day. School field trip coordination and group RSVP required. Presented in conjunction with Plumb Line: Charles White and the Contemporary.

Sunday, April 7, 2019 | 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Fabric Power!

In Plumb Line: Charles White and the Contemporary, multimedia artist Christopher Meyers’s nine-foot-tall textile Nation of Protest skillfully makes use of fabric for a powerful impact. Make your own statement in fabric—on a smaller scale of course! Fabric will be provided, but feel free to bring your own as well. No sewing involved; recommended for ages 7 and up.

Partners include the USC Roski School of Art and Design, Animo Jackie Robinson Charter High School, and Green Dot Schools.

The project is made possible in part by generous support from the USC Arts in Action and the USC Good Neighbors Program. ogram.

All events are free unless otherwise noted and are subject to change. Please visit caamuseum.org for the most up-to-date information on upcoming public programs. RSVP to CAAM programs at 213.744.2024 or rsvp@caamuseum.org

Photo: Steven Kim on Unsplash

Saturday, April 20, 2019 | 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Wishing on a Star Installed near the entrance to CAAM is Charles Dickson’s sculpture, Wishing On A Star. His intrepid astronaut is a testament to artistic environmentalism, as Dickson repurposed several hundred pounds of rebar, old tools, circuit boards, and other discarded items for this work. In celebration of Earth Day, upcycle materials and use your artistic and engineering creativity to make a wind-powered kinetic sculpture that balances and moves. Ages 7 and up.

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for families The California African American Museum welcomes children of all ages, and we present a wide range of interactive programs designed especially for families. From arts and crafts workshops to dance classes and storytelling, come explore art, culture, and history together at CAAM!

Saturday, June 15, 2019 | 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Juneteenth Celebration Join us for a day of family and community celebrating the anniversary of June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger declared that Texas’s enslaved people were free. Bring your picnic blankets and enjoy an afternoon at CAAM with DJ sets by Francesca Harding and family activities for all to enjoy.

All events are free unless otherwise noted and are subject to change. Please visit caamuseum.org for the most up-to-date information on upcoming public programs.

RSVP to CAAM programs at 213.744.2024 or rsvp@caamuseum.org

Sunday, May 12, 2019 | 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Special Person Portraits The eighteen artists featured in Plumb Line: Charles White and the Contemporary look to White as an important influence in their own art practice. Create a portrait of a person who is meaningful to you.

Sunday, May 19, 2019 | 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Photo Collage House Create a photo collage of your ideas of “home” using images of architectural interiors and paper with different patterns, textures, and colors. The workshop is led by youth from artworxLA, a program for alternative high school students throughout LA County. The artworxLA youth will present their artworks inspired by Adia Millett: Breaking Patterns and walk you through the creation of a work to take home.

Sunday, May 26, 2019 | 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Spread the News Zine Making Inspired by The Liberator: Chronicling Black Los Angeles, 1900–1914, capture your own story and share what you want to tell about today.

Report on your neighborhood or an important event, highlight inspiring people, and more. Led by teaching artist James Brooks, spend the afternoon creating a mini zine publication using a mix of collage, drawing, and writing techniques.

Presented in partnership with Able ARTS Work and made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

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Saturday, June 1, 2019 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Abstract Figure Solar Print In Aspects of Nude: Selections from the Permanent Collection, artists such as Elaine Towns use abstraction in interesting ways to depict the human form. Now it’s your turn! Create your own unique abstract figure using 3D objects, natural materials, and light-sensitive paper.

Sunday, June 16, 2019 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Light Up Your Message Inspired by the neon sign We Deserve to be Elevated by EJ Hill in Plumb Line: Charles White and the Contemporary, create your own message that actually lights up for your special someone.

Ages 7 and up.

Family Quilt Squares Artist Adia Millett often employs traditional quilting techniques in her work, as seen in the exhibit Breaking Patterns. Invite family and friends to join you in designing and making quilted squares.

Family Tree Design your own family tree and create leaves that reflect your core community.

Wearable Art Workshop with Bijan Machen Bring clothes to enhance with paint, stencils, and creativity to wear and carry your message into the future.

Ancestor Mask Workshop with Roneika Pinkney Design and create ancestor masks inspired by the West African diaspora.

Honor freedom fighters, peace makers, and personal ancestors with your unique mask.

Freedom Drum Circle Workshop with Rene Fisher Mims Learn and experience rhythms that kept ancestors alive and thriving for generations in this participatory drum circle, hosted by Leimert Park’s own Rene Fisher Mims of Shine Muwasi.

Presented in partnership with LA Commons in conjunction with the Festival of Masks.

Photo: HRDWRKER

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The mission of the California African American Museum is to research, collect, preserve, and interpret for public enrichment the history, art, and culture of African Americans, with an emphasis on California and the western United States.

visit Plumb Line: Charles White and the Contemporary

Map

California Bound: Slavery on the New Frontier, 1848–1865 Aspects of Nude: Selections from the Permanent Collection

The Liberator

Gary Simmons: Fade to Black

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Adia Millett: Breaking Patterns

Research Library

  Conference Room

Admission is FREE. Hours Galleries open Tuesdays–Saturdays 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. and Sundays 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Location CAAM is located in Exposition Park, which is home to a variety of museums and attractions. Parking is $12 (cash only) at 39th and Figueroa Streets.

The Metro Expo line stop Expo Park/USC is a five-minute walk through the Rose Garden to the Museum.

Stay in touch with CAAM Phone: 213.744.7432 Email: info@caamuseum.org Sign up for our monthly e-news for updates on our exhibitions and public programs: caamuseum.org Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram: @CAAMinLA The California African American Museum is a state-supported agency and a Smithsonian Affiliate.

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Photo: HRDWRKER

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600 State Drive Exposition Park Los Angeles, CA 90037 caam state board of directors todd hawkins, president zna portlock houston, vice president cornelious burke terri holoman rev. cecil l. murray bari a. williams executive director, george o. davis

Cover: Harry Adams, Martin Luther King Jr. at Freedom Rally, Wrigley Field, Los Angeles, May 26, 1963 (detail). Black-and-white photograph.

Cover: Ariel Dannielle, Family Sized, 2018. Acrylic on unstretched canvas, 72 x 90 in. Courtesy the artist and TILA Studios Courtesy the Tom & Ethel Bradley Center, California State Northridge; Below, photo: HRDWRKER