Chrysler Museum of Art and Hampton University Museum Pilot Program Brings Two Exhibitions to the Museums

Akinola Lasekan, Abike, ca. 1940s. Pastel on paper, Hampton University Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 67.470. Photo: Alexander’s Photography

NORFOLK, Va. (April 2, 2024) Starting this month, the Chrysler Museum of Art and Hampton University Museum will open two joint exhibitions featuring art from the Hampton University Harmon Foundation Modern African Art collection and the Chrysler Museum’s African Art collection. Both public exhibitions¾ I Am Copying Nobody: The Art and Political Cartoons of Akinola Lasekan showing at the Chrysler Museum of Art and Sankofa: Constructing Modern African Art showing at the Hampton University Museum¾have been made possible through the pilot fellowship program Diversifying the Field of Curation and Conservation. Additionally, both have been curated by Tashae Smith, the Andrew W. Mellon curatorial fellow.

“These exhibitions showcase a number of modern African artists from countries across Africa,” explained Smith. “These artists include Nigerian artist Akinola Lasekan, Nigerian artist Clara Etso Ugbodaga-Ngu, Ethiopian artist Alexander ‘Skunder’ Boghossian, Sierra Leonean artist Miranda Olayinka Burney-Nicol and Ghanaian artist Vincent Kofi, who are all considered pioneers who assisted in the building of modern African art. It has been a privilege to study and display these pivotal works of art, many of which have not been shown in the United States since the 1960s.”

In efforts to diversify the field of curation and conservation, the Chrysler Museum of Art, in partnership with the Hampton University Museum, was awarded a highly competitive grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for $500,000 in 2021 for this three-year program. As a part of it, two aspiring museum professionals¾curatorial fellow Tashae Smith and conservation fellow Angie Lopez¾ who have completed master’s degrees were tasked with examining the Chrysler Museum’s traditional African collection and Hampton University Museum’s Harmon Foundation Collection of Modern African Art. The fellows worked under the mentorship of Carolyn Swan Needell, Ph.D., Barry Curator of Glass at the Chrysler Museum and Vanessa Thaxton-Ward, Ph.D., Hampton University Museum’s director and chief curator, to curate the two upcoming public exhibitions, originate a catalog and prioritize and conserve a group of objects from the collections. They also wrote for Hampton’s influential art journal International Review of African American Art (IRAAA), develop educational curriculum-based materials for college students and deliver several presentations to the public and the institution’s docents and volunteers. Through their work, the Chrysler’s African collection will benefit from research for new scholarship, while Hampton’s Harmon Foundation Modern African Art collection will gain more exposure.

“We are elated to receive funding from the Mellon Foundation,” said Vanessa Thaxton-Ward, PhD, director and chief curator of Hampton University Museum. “It is very exciting on many levels, and the Hampton University Museum is committed to working hand-in-hand with the Chrysler Museum of Art to increase diversity in the curatorial and conservation professions. We will draw upon the significant resources that have been developed at Hampton since 1868 and the Chrysler Museum of Art since 1933.”

I Am Copying Nobody: The Art and Political Cartoons of Akinola Lasekan, on view April 13–Aug. 11 at the Chrysler Museum of Art Frank Photography Gallery, located at One Memorial Place in Norfolk, features more than 50 drawings, paintings and political cartoons created by Akinola Lasekan, a pioneer of modern art and political cartoons in Nigeria. Lasekan’s artworks capture Nigeria’s landscape, people, culture and political climate in the 1940s and 50s.

Sankofa: Constructing Modern African Art, opening Summer 2024 at the Hampton University Museum, located at 14 Frissell Ave. in Hampton, features more than 40 artworks by 30 artists from 11 countries, including Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and the United States. This exhibition captures how modern African artists used the past (traditional values and cultural heritage of the pre-colonial era) to construct their versions of modern African art.

“I encourage visitors to view both exhibitions to learn more about the artists as well as the conservation treatments their artworks underwent. The conservation treatment of select pieces undertaken by Chrysler Museum conservator Mark Lewis and conservators Angie Lopez, Katie Rovito, and Elizabeth Robson has brought new life to these artworks and has ensured their longevity,” Smith added.

PROGRAMS

AKINOLA LASEKAN
Saturday, April 13 | 2 p.m.
Adérónké A. Adésànyà, PhD, ChMC Professor of Art History, James Madison University

“I am copying nobody” was Akinola Lasekan’s response when his artistic practice was called into question. A pioneer of Nigerian Modern Art and political cartoons, Lasekan’s short life and career were marked by beauty, innovation and advocacy. If you are unfamiliar with the life and art of this Nigerian artistic maverick, join us as Adérónké A. Adésànyà, PhD, the author of Akinola Lasekan: Cartooning, Art, and Nationalism at the Dawn of a New Nigeria, contextualizes Lasekan’s life and art during and after the colonial rule in Nigeria. Adésànyà is a professor of art history at James Madison University in the School of Art, Design and Art History; on the advisory board for Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art; and is the president of the African Studies Association. Following the discussion, there will be spotlight talks of artwork by Lasekan in the Chrysler Museum’s exhibition.

Second Saturday Pop Up
Second Saturdays Art Pop-Up
June 8, 11 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

In June, learn the beautiful attributes of working with pastels, inspired by the art of Akinola Lasekan with a special guest artist. Whether you are a master of stick figures or an accomplished virtuoso, all visitors can explore artmaking at this series of pop-up workshops.  Bring the whole family to make art along with wonderful memories.  Each participant will get a set of pastels and mat board to add the finishing touches to their artwork.

Free; registration required.

Sketch-Along with … Ganiyu Jimoh
Sunday, July 21, 1–3 p.m.

Participants will practice drawing with Ganiyu Jimoh, a political cartoonist and digital artist. In conjunction with I Am Copying Nobody, explore the evolution of political cartooning and the key elements of this accessible drawing style. Ages 14+

Free; registration required.

First Thursdays: Mbari Night II
August 1, 5–8 p.m.

Come for an exciting exploration of West African culture and traditions featuring live performances, film and art chats in the exhibition I Am Copying Nobody.

Find cool culture and canned cocktails at First Thursdays. Each month, explore a different topic, from centering and intimate to enlightening and social. Meet new people, enjoy a date night, get creative or relax and wind down the week. In addition to all the galleries, the Museum Shop and Zinnia Café are open. Every month, there is something different, but all First Thursdays are free!

ABOUT THE CHRYSLER MUSEUM OF ART

The Chrysler Museum of Art brings art and people together through experiences that delight, inform, and inspire. Internationally recognized for its collection of more than 30,000 objects, including one the largest glass collections in America, the Museum is free and features the state-of-the-art Perry Glass Studio, a full-service restaurant, shop, theater, works on paper space, and oversees the historic Myers House. The Museum boasts an ambitious schedule of exhibitions, events, and programs, and has been nationally recognized for its commitment to inclusion through its innovative gallery host program. For more information, visit chrysler.org. Follow on social media @‌ChryslerMuseum to receive the latest updates.

ABOUT THE HAMPTON UNIVERSITY MUSEUM

Founded in 1868, the Hampton University Museum is the nation’s oldest African American museum. With galleries dedicated to African American, African, American Indian and Asian and Pacific art and artifacts, the museum contains more than 9,000 objects representing cultures and people from around the world. Within its fine arts collection is the largest existing collection of works in any museum by the artists John Biggers, Elizabeth Catlett, Jacob Lawrence and Samella Lewis. The Museum is also the publisher of The International Review of African American Art (IRAAA), a major publication dedicated to African American art and artists.

The Hampton University Museum is located in the newly restored Huntington Building (the former library) on the grounds of the historic Hampton University campus. From Interstate 64, take exit 267/Hampton University and follow the signs to the museum. The museum is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; open Saturday, noon to 4 p.m.; and closed on Sundays and major holidays. Admission is free. Call 757-727-5308 or visit www.hamptonu.edu/museum for information.

For more information, interview assistance, or a high-resolution image suitable for publication, please contact Tanya Kaish Keller at The Meridian Group at (757) 340-7425 or tanya@themeridiangroup.com