BmoreArt

This week’s news includes: BOPA in crisis, Galerie Myrtis to represent Devin Allen, an interview with Julia Marciari-Alexander, Amy Sherald exhibition coming to the National Portrait Gallery, Alonzo Davis at Pyramid Atlantic, Baltimore Book Festival, and Grit Fund awardee Tola’s Room — with reporting from Baltimore Magazine, Baltimore Fishbowl, Baltimore Brew, and other local and independent news sources.

Header Image: Alonzo Davis, Crescent Eclipse Over Memphis, silkscreen print, 22” x 16”, 1980.  Photo John Woo.  Courtesy of Pyramid Atlantic Art Center.

BOPA faces financial peril as it calls ‘emergency’ meeting
by Hallie Miller and Lee O. Sanderlin
Published September 18 in The Baltimore Banner

The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts has run out of money and likely will not be able to pay its bills without city help, the latest in a series of blows to the beleaguered nonprofit.

BOPA’s Board of Directors on Wednesday called an emergency meeting for Thursday to discuss the nonprofit’s “fiscal standing and strategic path forward,” according to a copy of the agenda. The board is supposed to go to into a closed session, with the ominous description “Discuss Personnel and Business Location – VOTE REQUIRED.”

Two sources with knowledge who were not authorized to discuss the situation said that BOPA may not be able to meet its current payroll obligations without financial help from City Hall, and that the organization is cash-strapped.

The institution, which stages many of Baltimore’s most iconic events including Artscape, also serves as the city’s film office, arts council and a facilities manager. Amy Burke Friedman, a spokeswoman for the organization, initially declined to comment and referred back to the special meeting agenda.

Then, in a follow-up, Burke Friedman sent a statement from BOPA CEO Rachel D. Graham.

“While an emergency board meeting has been called to address concerns about current and historical financial issues with BOPA, accounts regarding us not meeting payroll are not accurate,” Graham said without further elaboration.

But an email sent Monday by interim BOPA board chair Andrew Chaveas, and reviewed by The Banner, casts doubt on Graham’s statement. Chaveas wrote his fellow board members that BOPA would operate at a negative cash flow starting this month and risks being unable to pay “fundamental expenses.”

For years BOPA leadership has shifted money from reserves to cover expenses and “reflect a balanced book” without replenishing itself, Chaveas wrote. He acknowledged the severity of the situation, calling it “shocking.” Graham is tasked with making recommendations to “return BOPA to a balanced cash flow,” which could include asking Scott’s administration for financial help.

This excderpt was republished with permission from The Baltimore Banner. Visit www.thebaltimorebanner.com for more.

East City Art Reviews—ERRANTRY: Work by Alonzo Davis at Pyramid Atlantic
by Claudia Rousseau, Ph.D.
Published September 17 in East City Art

Excerpt: As a discipline, I work in series, that is, I explore a range of possibilities inherent in a given theme, medium or technique before moving on to something new. Sticking with this approach has enabled me to produce distinct bodies of related works.

— Alonzo Davis

With a focus on works made on or with paper, this solo exhibit at Pyramid Atlantic proves the truth of the above artist’s statement.  Not only is it made evident that Davis has been working in series since the 1970s, but the show also reveals his commitment to the kind of thinking that it implies.  This has been the underlying thread linking his nearly five decade career, the baseline of a clear trajectory that connects him to many older artists, and to more contemporary ones like Jasper Johns who also saw the value of working in this way.

Davis completed an undergraduate degree at Pepperdine College, and subsequently earned his MFA in Printmaking and Design at the Otis Art Institute.  Influenced by artists like Robert Rauschenberg and Johns, Davis soon began to experiment on his own.  At the suggestion of Charles White, artist and former professor at Otis, Davis began to produce prints and paintings in series.  In his statement to this show he says that although he has “worked in many mediums, paper has always found a way to introduce and reintroduce itself” into his three-dimensional mixed media works about which I have written previously in this magazine.[1]  The ease of working on and with paper has itself been a creative stimulus and enabled Davis to continue to work through a series until “the thought has been exhausted.”

Galerie Myrtis welcomes photographer and author Devin Allen
Press Release :: September 14

Galerie Myrtis is honored to announce the addition of Devin Allen to its esteemed list of represented artists. The Baltimore native is an acclaimed photographer and author who skillfully captures African American life’s joys, revolutions, and realities. Allen’s powerful images often portray scenes from his hometown, offering an alternative narrative to the predominant depictions of the city and its residents in the media. His work not only depicts the complexity and nuances of Black life but also advocates for social equity by documenting civil demonstrations.

A key aspect of Allen’s work is documenting national protests against police brutality. He first gained recognition for his coverage of the Baltimore Uprising following Freddie Gray’s death in 2015. Time Magazine featured his photographs on their covers in 2015 and 2020, making him the third amateur photographer in history to receive such recognition. His dedication to social justice was further acknowledged by the Gordon Parks Foundation Fellowship in 2017 and 2023. His images from these significant protests, along with his photographs of Baltimore, were later used to create his books “A Beautiful Ghetto” and “No Justice, No Peace: From the Civil Rights Movement to Black Lives Matter.”

This year, the artist will release a new book titled “Devin Allen: Baltimore,” featuring writings from Salamisha Tillet, D. Watkins, Darnell Moore, and Peter Kunhardt Jr. The release will coincide with his inaugural solo exhibition, “The Textures of Us,” at Galerie Myrtis. Curated by Dr. Myrtis Bedolla, the exhibit will showcase select photos from the book, unreleased images, and work from Allen’s students. “The Textures of Us” will be on view October 25, 2024 – January 11, 2025. Details on programming are forthcoming.

Allen’s debut book, “A Beautiful Ghetto,” was published under Haymarket Books in 2015. It chronicles Black life in Baltimore before and after the Baltimore Uprising through stunning images by Allen alongside short essays and poems by Governor Wes Moore, Tariq Toure, Aaron Bryant, Keeanga Yamahtta Taylor, Gail Allen, and D. Watkins. The artist garnered widespread acclaim from the book and an NAACP Image Award Nomination.

In 2022, Allen released “No Justice, No Peace” under the Legacy Lit imprint of Hachette Book Group with written contributions from Angelo Pinto, Ashley Monterrosa, Brea Baker, Carmen Perez, Charlene A. Carruthers, Chris Wilson, Clint Smith, D. Watkins, Darnell L. Moore, Deray Mckesson, Dominique Christina, Emmanuel Acho, Gail Allen, Jacqueline Woodson, and Jamel Shabazz. The book examines the history of the Black Lives Matter movement, from its origins in the sixties civil rights protests to collective action happening today. Allen’s photography of protests in Baltimore across six years is coupled with writing from influential activists of the past and today. “No Justice, No Peace” received three Nautilus Book Awards, and Allen became a recipient of the prestigious Gordon Parks Foundation/ Steidl Book Prize.

National Portrait Gallery Announces “Amy Sherald: American Sublime”
Press Release :: September 16

The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery has announced the Washington, D.C., presentation of “Amy Sherald: American Sublime,” the largest, most comprehensive exhibition of the artist’s work to date. Organized by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), “American Sublime” is the artist’s first major museum survey, bringing together paintings made from 2007 to the present. New and rarely seen work will be joined by the artist’s now iconic portrait of former First Lady Michelle Obama (2018), commissioned by the Portrait Gallery for its collection, and her powerful portrait of Breonna Taylor (2020). The exhibition will also mark the return of “Miss Everything (Unsuppressed Deliverance)” (2014) to Washington, where the painting garnered first prize in the Portrait Gallery’s 2016 Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition. The Washington presentation of “American Sublime” is curated by Rhea L. Combs, director of curatorial affairs for the National Portrait Gallery. It will be on view Sept. 19, 2025 through Feb. 22, 2026. Sherald is the first contemporary Black artist to receive a solo exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery.

“The Portrait Gallery’s presentation of ‘American Sublime’ celebrates a full circle of sorts,” Combs said. “Sherald’s work premiered at the museum in 2016, when the artist won first prize in the Portrait Gallery’s triennial Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition. Her painting then reached a global stage when she unveiled her remarkable portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama in 2018. For the past eight years, Sherald’s art has enthralled viewers with its technical astuteness. The empathy it extends to the individuals in her portraits captivates those who experience the paintings. With this mid-career survey, it is an honor to share with audiences the breadth and depth of Sherald’s practice.”

“American Sublime” will consider the powerful impact of Sherald’s work in the art historical tradition of American realism. Gallery texts and catalog essays will elucidate Sherald’s unique artistic process—inviting individuals she meets or sees on the street to be photographed, then transforming the photos into imaginative figure paintings that act as more than representative portraits. Each with few markers of place, time or context beyond clothing, Sherald has described the resulting body of work as a more expansive vision of interiority and selfhood, inviting viewers to consider the possibilities and complexities of each individual’s story.

The exhibition will also explore the artist’s privileging of Black American sitters, who historically have been erased from the genre of portraiture, and her choice to render faces and skin in shades of gray—a technique that dates back to the early Renaissance—to highlight race as a construct. Furthermore, “American Sublime” is the first exhibition to connect Sherald’s references to other historical precedents in visual culture ranging from the paintings of Caspar David Friedrich, and Alfred Eisenstaedt’s famous image of a sailor kissing a woman in Times Square in 1945, to the films of Tim Burton.

“Amy Sherald: American Sublime” is accompanied by an eponymous publication—the artist’s first comprehensive monograph—representing the broad sweep of Sherald’s painting practice as well as her key influences and inspirations. Contributors include the exhibition’s organizing curator Sarah Roberts, as well as Elizabeth Alexander, Dario Calmese and Combs. “Amy Sherald: American Sublime” is published by SFMOMA in association with Yale University Press.

“Amy Sherald: American Sublime” is organized by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) and curated by Roberts, former Andrew W. Mellon Curator and Head of Painting and Sculpture at SFMOMA.

The National Portrait Gallery is grateful to the Ford Foundation whose support has made the Washington, D.C., presentation of this exhibition possible.
About Amy Sherald

Born in Columbus, Georgia, and now based in the New York City area, Sherald documents contemporary African American experiences in the United States through arresting, intimate portraits. Sherald engages with the history of photography and portraiture, inviting viewers to participate in a more complex debate about accepted notions of race and representation, and to situate Black life in American art.

Sherald received her Master of Fine Arts in painting from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore and her Bachelor of Arts in painting from Clark-Atlanta University. In 2016, she was the first woman and first African American to receive the grand prize in the National Portrait Gallery’s Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition; she also received the 2017 Anonymous Was A Woman award, the Smithsonian Ingenuity Award in 2019, the Pollock Prize for Creativity in 2018 and the David C. Driskell Prize in 2018. Sherald was selected by First Lady Michelle Obama to paint her portrait as an official commission for the National Portrait Gallery in 2018.

Sherald’s work is held in public collections such as the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas; the Embassy of the United States in Dakar, Senegal; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; the Nasher Museum of Art in Durham, North Carolina; the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C.; SFMOMA; the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture; the National Portrait Gallery; and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City.

National Portrait Gallery

The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery tells the multifaceted story of the United States through the individuals who have shaped American culture. Spanning the visual arts, performing arts and new media, the Portrait Gallery portrays poets and presidents, visionaries and villains, actors and activists whose lives tell the nation’s story.

The National Portrait Gallery is located at Eighth and G streets N.W., Washington, D.C. Smithsonian Information: 202-633-1000. Connect with the museum at npg.si.edu and on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Amy Sherald Survey to Travel to DC’s National Portrait Gallery Next Year
by Rhea Nayyar
Published September 16 in Hyperallergic

Excerpt: The Smithsonian Institution announced that a solo exhibition of Amy Sherald is set to debut at the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) in Washington, DC, exactly one year from now. Curated by Sarah Roberts, head of Painting and Sculpture at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), Amy Sherald: American Sublime will be the largest survey of the artist’s practice in her career, including over 40 works spanning 2007 to today.

The exhibition will debut at SFMOMA on November 16 before its run at the Whitney Museum of American Art in Manhattan from April to August 2025, after which it will return to DC for the NPG’s presentation on view from September through February 2026. An accompanying exhibition publication will be published as a collaboration between SFMOMA and Yale University Press.

Lewis Museum Sparks Conversation with New Mural Celebrating & Reimagining Frederick Douglass
Press Release :: September 18

The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture announces the installation of a striking new mural, “Frederick Douglass / Liberty,” by contemporary artist Adam Himoff. The mural will be on display starting Wednesday, September 18, 2024, through December 31, 2024, on the President Street side of the museum building.

“Frederick Douglass / Liberty” is a modern linocut print that reimagines the iconic American abolitionist, writer, and orator Frederick Douglass (1817-1895) through a contemporary lens. The giant print features Douglass in a bold, stylish pose against a backdrop of graffiti, combining traditional relief printing techniques with modern elements. This fusion prompts viewers to recontextualize Douglass’s enduring impact and consider how he might engage with the world today.

Adam Himoff, born in New York City in 1976, is a renowned contemporary artist whose work bridges traditional and modern artistic practices. Influenced by New York’s rich cultural tapestry and trained in various esteemed institutions, Himoff’s work often explores themes of race, social justice, and national identity. His artistic journey, which includes a notable transition from a successful career in finance to a full-time art practice, is reflected in his innovative approach to printmaking.

Terri Lee Freeman, President of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, shares her thoughts on the new installation: “I think it is important for us to present this mural because it has the potential to have some audiences see Frederick Douglass as a more reachable historic figure. Douglass was the most photographed man of his time. He was always meticulously dressed in the latest fashion. If alive today, we think this representation is very likely close to how he would present himself. It also demonstrates that simply because you wear sneakers with your suit does not automatically mean you have nothing to say. This representation of Douglass is modern and relevant. We want to encourage people to think and have conversations. Historic figures are representative of their time, but if they could time travel, would the exterior affect their intrinsic intellect? I think not.”

“Frederick Douglass / Liberty” invites viewers to engage with Douglass’s legacy in a fresh and relevant way. The artwork challenges us to think about Douglass’s potential role in today’s society and reflects on the freedoms and unfinished work that his efforts have impacted. It serves as a metaphor for integrating historical significance with contemporary issues, prompting reflections on how far we’ve come and the work still needed to achieve true liberty and justice.

The mural’s installation at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum underscores the institution’s mission of honoring and advancing the bold conversations around African American history and culture. This vibrant portrayal of Douglass promises to inspire dialogue and deeper understanding among museum visitors.

We invite the community to experience “Frederick Douglass / Liberty” and explore its compelling representation of an extraordinary figure whose influence transcends time.

The Walters Art Museum’s first female director reflects on being a pioneer
by Taji Burris
Published September 13 in The Baltimore Banner

Excerpt: Since ancient times, it’s been said that art is long and life is short — a sentiment likely felt by outgoing Walters Art Museum CEO and Executive Director Julia Marciari-Alexander.

After 11 years as the first female director there, she will officially wrap up her tenure at the Baltimore institution on Friday, a little less than six months after announcing she would step down from the role. Marciari-Alexander’s time at the Walters was praised in April by Peter Bain, president of the museum’s board of trustees, as “incredibly successful” and “nothing short of exceptional.”

Before she takes on her new role as president of the Samuel H. Kress Foundation — a supporter of the study of European art, architecture and archaeology — Marciari-Alexander spoke with The Banner about her tenure at the museum, the creative culture in Baltimore and how her time here changed the way she looks at art.

… this story continues. Read the rest at The Baltimore Banner: The Walters Art Museum’s first female director reflects on being a pioneer

National Aquarium’s Voyages Program Sparks Wonder in Adults
by Janelle Erlichman Diamond
Published September 17 in Baltimore Magazine

Excerpt: It’s the kind of brutally hot August day that pushes everyone inside, and the National Aquarium is buzzing.

Jenny Hamilton is perched on a bench in front of the Black Tip Reef underwater viewing area, feeling giddy at the overflowing energy and excitement. It’s almost hard to hear her, as campers and vacationers exit Shark Alley and noisily descend on the 27-foot viewing window that curves four feet around the underwater reef teeming with animals, from angelfish to whiptail rays.

That’s the easy part—attracting kids, school groups, and families to ooh and ahh over the sea creatures. But the more recent challenge for Hamilton, the Director of Community Partnership Strategy, has been to encourage adults to see the Inner Harbor’s iconic structure as theirs, too. To do that, she knew she would need to create a range of projects that would draw a diverse audience reflective of the city the Aquarium was created in.

Baltimore Book Festival Stage Schedule Announced
Press Release :: September 16

The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA), in partnership with the City of Baltimore, Waverly Main Street, Red Emma’s, CityLit Project, and Peabody Heights Brewery, announce the programming for the 25th Baltimore Book Festival, September 28th and 29th, 2024. The festival is also generously supported by Councilwoman Odette Ramos.

The Waverly neighborhood is home to a number of independent bookstores including partner Red Emma’s, Normals Books & Records, Urban Reads, and The Book Thing of Baltimore. Spanning six stages and more than 10 programming partners, this year’s Baltimore Book Festival will include over 100 presenting authors and literary personalities.

“As home to greats ranging from Edgar Allen Poe to Lucille Clifton, Baltimore recognizes literature as one of its most important art forms,” says Rachel D. Graham, chief executive officer, Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts. “As we mark 25 years of highlighting this culturally rich and brilliantly diverse genre, we are excited about how that diversity and the City’s love of the written word is reflected in this year’s festival.”

The Baltimore Book Festival 32nd Street Stage, presented in partnership with Red Emma’s, features celebrated authors such as adrienne maree brown and Alexis Pauline Gumbs alongside distinguished local creatives like author D. Watkins and Persia Nicole from 92Q/Fox 45. At 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, Charm City Books presents Hilton Carter discussing The Propagation Handbook, and at 4:00 p.m., in partnership with The Baltimore Beat, Lisa Snowden, Deyane Moses, Bilphena Yahwon, and Bry Reed talk about Preserving History & How the Black Press Safeguards the Past. The stage closes on Saturday with a conversation between bestselling writer adrienne maree brown and Ashindi Maxton, Co-Director of the Donors of Color Network. At noon on Sunday, Alexis Pauline Gumbs & Danielle Evans have a conversation about Survival Is a Promise: The Eternal Life of Audre Lorde followed by Mike Africa, Jr. & D. Watkins discussing On a Move: Philadelphia’s Notorious Bombing and a Native Son’s Lifelong Battle for Justice at 1:00 p.m.

On the 31st Street Stage on Saturday, CityLit Project features Roxana Robinson (Leaving) discussing late loving in the winter years with WYPR’s The Weekly Reader Marion Winik and founder of Well-Read Black Girl’s Glory Edim announcing her forthcoming work Gather Me with Leslie Gray Streeter (recently named Best Columnist by Baltimore magazine). In partnership with The Clifton House, poet/scholar Kazim Ali shares his new work Black Buffalo Woman about Maryland’s former Poet Laureate Lucille Clifton.

The 31st Street Stage showcases five organizations of women writers, including the national Wintergreen Women Writers Collective founded by Baltimore’s Dr. Joanne Gabbin of the renowned Furious Flower Poetry Center, CityLit’s own Scribente Maternum, and Baltimore’s Zora’s Den and Yellow Arrow Publishing, with aims to support women writers in multiple ways. The festival day ends with music by IAHIAL, formerly Like Water, and a poetry reading with Kazim Ali, Lady Brion, and an ensemble of poets in The Hunger I Felt hosted by Unique Robinson.

Sunday’s 31st Street Stage kicks off with The Ivy Bookshop spotlighting Writers in Baltimore Schools with The Playground: Voices from the Swingsets of Baltimore and closes the stage with Remembering the 300 Man March with photojournalist J.M. Giordano interviewing activist Darnyle Wharton on his remembrances with fellow activists of the Baltimore Peace Movement on this 10th anniversary. These events and more can be found on the 31st Street Stage.

Readings on the Peabody Heights Stage are presented by Charm City Books and the Maryland Romance Writers Association on Saturday and by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association on Sunday. At the stage presented by Normals Books & Records, enjoy some of Bruiser Magazine‘s finest on Saturday, and on Sunday, Normals presents a Cosmic Smorgasbord of Readings. Red Emma’s hosts readings inside their bookstore throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday, featuring disability rights activist and scholar Sunaura Taylor, among others. On 30th Street, Baltimore Read Aloud brings together two days of youth- oriented programming in partnership with Snug Books and Urban Reads Bookstore, including Newberry Award-winning author Carole Boston Weatherford, Max Meow author John Gallagher, and 2024 Baltimore Youth Poet Laureate Eriona Birts.

The 25th Baltimore Book Festival will kick off Friday, September 27th, at 7:00 p.m. with an opening reception at Peabody Heights Brewery, featuring readings by a collection of Baltimore poets, musical guests, and more.

Learn more about the 25th Baltimore Book Festival by visiting baltimorebookfestival.com and following BOPA on social media (@promoandarts).

Baltimore Book Festival to return Sept. 28-29, happening this year in Waverly
by Marcus Dieterle
Published September 18 in Baltimore Fishbowl

Excerpt: Crack open a good book and hear from an array of authors when the Baltimore Book Festival returns Sept. 28 and 29 for the first time since 2019.

The 25th festival will take place in Waverly this year. The neighborhood includes several independent bookstores, including festival partner Red Emma’s, Normals Books & Records, Urban Reads, and The Book Thing of Baltimore.

This year’s event will cover six stages and more than 10 programming partners, with more than 100 authors and literary personalities.

Announcing the 2024 Grit Fund Winners
Newsletter :: September 13

The Peale is excited to present the 2024 Grit Fund winners! Grit Fund was established in Baltimore with generous funding from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts to support “vibrant, under-the-radar artistic activity” through the city. Over the next few weeks, we’ll introduce the grantees. Next up is Bmore Boricuas.

$10,000 Award: Bmore Boricuas

In collaboration with Tola’s Room, which is a Puerto Rican home museum and cultural space located in northeast Baltimore City, along with the founder/owner and multidisciplinary artist, Christina Delgado, this short will document many conversations amidst various sources, including Baltimore Heritage, Puerto Ricans in Baltimore City, and cultural artifacts and legacies Puerto Ricans have had in Baltimore since the early 1900s. Community members will be interviewed, and there will also be a program of art-making that expresses this narration of migration from the local diaspora community members themselves.