Fine Arts Museums Director Max Hollein said in February, when 62 works by contemporary African American artists based in the South were acquired, that the de Young Museum was dedicated to “expanding the representation of artists who reflect the historical diversity of American culture.” The collection, bought from the Souls Grown Deep Foundation in Atlanta, includes paintings, sculpture and quilts from Gee’s Bend, which were first displayed at the museum in 2006.
“Revelations: Art From the African American South” opens at the de Young on June 3, and runs for an extended period: 10 months, through April 1. Curated by Timothy Burgard, the museum’s curator of American art, the show will occupy six galleries usually used for the permanent collection, “in symbolic recognition of their new role at the Fine Arts Museums,” according to the museum.
Belva Davis, vice president of the Fine Arts Museums trustees, has been particularly focused on acquiring financial support for the exhibition. The museum is hosting free evenings on June 2 and 3 with opening-day events that include family activities and a panel discussion sponsored by the San Francisco chapter of the Links, an African American women’s service organization. Davis believes this is the first time that an African American organization has stepped up to support an exhibition at the museum.
The top tier of donors is a tier of one: Dede Wilsey. Next down…
