See contemporary art from some of the country’s leading Black artists beginning Aug. 3 at the LSU Museum of Art. “African American Masterworks from the Paul R. Jones Museum at The University of Alabama” features 60 paintings, sculptures, photographs and prints by prominent 20th century Black artists, including Sam Gilliam, Faith Ringgold, Jacob Lawrence, Howardena Pindell, Emma Amos and Romare Bearden. The show is part of a collection of works amassed by the late Paul R. Jones, an Alabama native born in 1928, who was educated at Howard University and denied entry to the University of Alabama School of Law because of his race.
Jones earned a master’s degree in urban studies from Governors State College in Illinois and began collecting works by Black artists in the early 1960s. He believed art to be an important tool in building resilient communities and in preserving the African American story. The exhibit is open through Dec. 3, and a free opening reception takes place Aug. 3 from 6-8 p.m. Local singer-songwriter Chloé Marie will perform songs by Nina Simone. lsumoa.org
This article was originally published in the August 2023 issue of 225 magazine.
