VIP Reception with Odili Donald Odita
March 15, 2013, 5-6pm, at beta pictoris gallery

Sankofa met and greeted with artist Odili Donald Odita at local gallery beta pictoris. Odita had a exhibition of new works on paper.

Exhibiting Blackness: African Americans and the American Art Museum, Dr. Bridget Cooks,
March 14, 2013

Dr. Bridget Cooks, associate professor of art history and African American studies, gave a lecture on her groundbreaking book Exhibiting Blackness: African Americans and the American Art Museum. In Dr. Cooks's book, she discusses several African American exhibitions that challenged the status quo in American museums at the times they were presented. Following her lecture, Dr. Cook signed copies of her book.

Carrie Mae Weems: Three Decades of Photography and Video, Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville, TN
January 12, 2o13

Sankofa traveled to Nashville, TN to see Carrie Mae Weems's retrospective at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts. 

The Armory Show, New York, NY
March 6-10, 2013

Sankofa members traveled to The Armory Show art fair. 2013 marked the 100th anniversary of the fair. This trip was be filled with private collection and studio visits as well as Armory Show related events. 

Trip to Miami, FL for Art Basel Art Show
December 2012

Curators Ron Platt and Jeffreen Hayes, as well as the Collectors Circle for Contemporary Art and the Sankofa Society, attended Art Basel in Miami Beach, the most prestigious art show in the Americas. More than 260 leading international galleries will showcase works by more than 2,000 contemporary artists. The trip was rounded out by visits to private collections, artists’ studios, galleries, and museums.

Sankofa Presents: Dr. Darryl Atwell
October 2012

Dr. Darryl Atwell collects contemporary art with a special focus on emerging and mid-career artists. He has been collecting for over 10 years and is well-versed in art history and the art market. Dr. Atwell spoke about his collection and the various ways collectors can contribute to the arts.

VIP Reception with John Bankston
October 2012 at beta pictoris/Maus Contemporary

Sankofa Society members were invited to a private reception with artist John Bankston on the occasion of his exhibition opening at beta pictoris gallery/Maus Contemporary. Bankston’s exhibition, titled, is a suite of eight new works on paper. The artist met Sankofa Society members and discussed his work and artistic process.

Trip to (e)merge art fair, Washington, DC
October 2012

The Sankofa Society traveled to Washington, DC to attend the (e)merge art fair. (e)merge provides a platform for emerging international artists and educational opportunities to learn about the artists and their work. This trip included VIP access to artists, major collectors, and institutions. We also visitedt two prominent art collections in the DC area, visited Library of Congress to learn about their Fine Art collection, and visited area museums.

Lunch and Learn
September 2012

How do we feel when we see the Black female body and how it is represented in works of art? This Lunch and Learn was a critical converastion with Dr. Jeffreen Hayes on the image of the Black female body in the works included in the BMA exhibition Intimate Interiors.

Sankofa Society Soirée Weekend: August 2012
VIP Reception for Theaster Gates

The Soirée weekend began with a VIP Champagne Toast Reception for Theaster Gates. Sankofa members kicked off the weekend with an intimate evening with the honoree.

Soirée: Intimate Evening of Art

This year’s theme, Intimate Evening of Art, connected with the exhibition Intimate Interiors. The 2012 honoree was Chicago-based artist and urban planner Theaster Gates. Gates, an artist engaged with urban communities and their histories, creates art and art performances that speak to American identity and culture, more broadly, and the Black experience, more specifically in the United States.

Trip to Chicago, IL
July 2012

The Sankofa Society spent a long weekend in Chicago, filled with visits to museum and artist studios.

Pinder Visits Birmingham
June 2012

Chicago-based artist Jefferson Pinder made his first trip to Birmingham. During his visit, Pinder began research on a site-specific project planned for the Lyric Theatre. The project is part of the Museum’s year of commemorative events related to the 1963 bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church and the Civil Rights Movement.