Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / July 2, 1998, edition 1 / Page 21
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Artsreack \ GLORIA E. LINDSEY Renowned artists explore diaspora Powerful. The Diggs Gallery exhibition featuring Ed Love, a sculptor, and Floyd Newsum, a painter, is just that. Two men who interpret life, ofTer us multiple views. Then works stir emotions and stimulate the mind. For Love, the works on exhibi tion represent his personal quest to make sense of human kind, race relations and the condition of African Americans, Born in 1936 in Los Angeles, Love has been a part of history in the making. This, in conjunction with his research of ancient cultures, slav ery and politics, form the basis of the complex sculptures seen in the exhibition. Love believes that as "African Americans" we are the hyphen. We are in the middle, not African or American, we have no libera tion or freedom. Series like "Pas sages from the Middle," "The Wake of the Amistad" and "Ark of Bones," are his attempt to illu minate the atrocities suffered on the voyage through the Middle Passage. Moreover, these works represent the idea that we are still in the middle. The artistic results are large, weighty, rustic colored, structures. "I create these sculptures not because Tm interested in being an artist, but because something inside me needs this level of physi cal work and mental engagement, to keep me in balance...I am dis covering myself." Through Love's journey, a his torical path of art is forged. His metaphoric use of chains, shackles and ships, he reminds us that "We are all chained together, first class and steward, in this space ship called life." Newsum also deals with the ills of society, but through African folklore, religious and cultural sto ries. And, at the center of each story is the African American woman, the glorified "glue," who keeps it all together. "In my work, women soar. They are a source of freedom, a pillar. The woman has always worked hard, and should be hon ored, not stereotyped...she can do or be anything." Symbolically, the paintings visually depict the story through interpretive images Newsum uses "Symbols like the bird who takes the woman's soul to heaven; the fish who is my bird of the sea; the eyes are a woman's wisdom; and pearls because women are trea sures" The art of Floyd Newsum offers a unique view of women in relationships and religion. Paint ings, like "The Advent of Grace," and "An Angel Came From Time to Time," depict women as hero ines and healers. Newsum believes that in many contemporary rela tionships women are often the givers of grace, thus "The Advent of Grace" is from the woman. In "An Angel Came from Time to Time," Newsum depicts the angel ' as a woman stating that, "The Bible tells us that an angel came to trouble the water and that the first person to go in, got healed. What it does not say is whether the angel was a woman or a man...my angels are women." The work of these two extra ordinary men is on exhibit now through September. 19. Diggs Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Group tours are available by calling 750-2458. r " I Belafonte receives first Marian Anderson Humanitarian award By DINAH W1SENBERG BR1N THE ASSOCIATED PRESS PHILADELPHIA - Enter tainer Harry Belafonte led several hundred people in a chorus of "Day-O" on Saturday after Mayor Edward G. Rendell presented him with the city's first Marian Ander son Award for humanitarian efforts. Belafonte, 71, a singer, actor and civil rights activist who has won Tony, Grammy and Emmy awards, received a crystal sculp ture and a $100,000 check in the name of Anderson, the late opera singer. The award pays tribute to artists whose leadership benefits humanity. Bdafonte has served as host of the World Summit for Children at the United Nations and as a Goodwill ambassador for i UNICEF He spearheaded efforts to benefit African famine relief in 1985. including the "We Are the World" concert. r Anderson, a Philadelphia native who died in 1993 at age 96, was the first black soloist to sing at New York's Metropolitan Opera and the first black per former to sing at the White House. In 1939, the Daughters of the American Revolution refused to allow her to sing at Constitution Hall in Washington, so the con cert was switched to the Lincoln Memorial, where 75,000 people heard her perform, i "The world wanted her gift and she gave it to them, but in return, they had to accept who she was," Betafonte said at an awards ceremony. "The purpose of art is not just to show life as it is but to show life as it should be. The artist must be the constant teller of truth," he said, quoting from his mentor, the late singer and actor Paul Robe son. < "Marian Anderson was just such an artist," Belafonte added. More minorities needed on TV By JANELLE CARTER ' ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER WASHINGTON ? Too often minority children are get ting inaccurate self-images when they watch television, actor Jimmy Smits said in kick ing off a public-private effort to boost minority representation in entertainment. - .More minorities are needed not just among performers but among management "so that we can . . . (be) more represen tative of all of the diversity that this country has," said Smits, who is Hispanic and stars in "NYPD Blue" on ABC-TV. The National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, which Smits co-founded, the Federal Communications Commission |g==^==il and President Clinton's Initia tive on Race will hold a forum Sept. 22 in Washington to address the issue. That forum will look at a number of issues, including ways to help minorities obtain capital to buy radio and televi sion stations as well as ways companies can afford training opportunities. "Children are bombarded with a number of images," said FCC Chairman William Ken nard. "Not all of them are fair. "I remember growing up as it child in the 1960s and there was a virtual absence of minorities on the television at that time in America," said Kennard, who last year became the first black I to head the five-member com mission. "I remember very dis tinctly as a child when there was a black face that appeared on television: It was an event in my household." . In 1996, minorities owned only 3.1 percent of broadcast properties in the United States, according to FCC Commission er Gloria Tristani. A year later, the number dropped to 2.8 per cent, she said. Minorities make up 20.2 percent of employees in those industries, Tristani said. "But those employees are concentrat ed in areas like laborers and clerical workers," she said. "We need to increase the numbers of minorities in management posi tions, where editorial decisions are made." 1 The Chronicle's e-mail address is: wschron@net unlimited.net 1'. . . > h looks like a perfect <i I The only problem a, it's a p. I f It's dyslexia. A reading disability where some kids confuse their d's with their p's, b's and q'a. But, with the right help, most of these kids can go on to do ' well in school. Cal 1-888-GR8-MBMD or visit www.ldonlirtcorg. THERE'S NO REASON j TO BE HELD BACK M r: cm * coordinotod campaign for looming ai?oto*?lfio? ? ? ^glearanc^^ile # New products arriving soon-evenrtiing I ^JvXRjH /Wv Some Quantities Limited * P Janie Says - "The Secrets Out ? Don't Empty Your Wallet On Fine Furniture & Accessories!" Shop the Bargain Mall for Fine Gifts, Accessories, Bedding, Oriental & Brand Name Furniture and More. , SAVE ON EVERY SELECTION! ? 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Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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July 2, 1998, edition 1
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