The small and narrow side room at the Philadelphia Museum of Art had its door wide open on March 28 as hundreds of guests, hungry for the last slice of the exhibit “Represent: 200 years of African American Artwork,” admired the pieces that withstood so much time.
Funded by the English department’s African-American minor program, fifteen West Chester University students attended the exhibit in Philadelphia.
Although West Chester University students were far from campus, there were several works of art from West Chester natives.
Painter Horace Pippin of West Chester had two pieces on display: “The End of the War: Starting Home” and “Mr. Prejudice.”
“The End of the War: Starting Home,” (1930), is an oil on canvas painting that illustrated Pippin’s view on war, as “the war haunted him for years and affected him for the rest of his life,” said the curator.
According to the curator, self-taught artist Pippin stated later in an undated letter that The End of War “brought out all the art in me.”
Pippin’s 1930 piece juxtaposed nicely with John Woodrow Wilson’s 1981 drawing of Dr. Luther King, Jr.
According to the curator, the drawing is a sketch of a sculpture that was to be completed by Wilson for the city of Buffalo.
“However, the head alone is more powerful than the whole body,” said the curator as she invited guests to engage in conversation about some of the exhibit’s finest works.
“The exhibit was nice. I really liked the pieces that were on display. I just thought for 200 years, there would be a lot more art to showcase,” said WCU senior, Kaloni Baylor.
“I am beyond ecstatic that I went. “Represent” was a liberating, eye-opening, amazing exhibit that featured not only paintings but also photography, videos, sculptures, and statues,” said WCU senior, Marriya Mobley.
“Represent: 200 Years of African American Art” was open to the public from Jan. 10, 2015 to April 5, 2015.
For those who love Japanese culture and art, check out the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s newest exhibit Ink and Gold: Art of Kano, which will be on display until May 10. Students certainly should try to go to this wonderful exhibit and see the art for themselves.
Angira S. Pickens is a fourth-year student majoring in English with minors in journalism and ethnic studies. She can be reached at AP765497@wcupa.edu.