October 13, 2024 – January 5, 2025
There is no singular way to address the conversation of race and representation in contemporary art. Personal to Political: Celebrating the African American Artists of Paulson Fontaine Press presents the unique vision and personal narratives of African American artists from across the country. Channeling the poetics of the human experience, this exhibition reflects on history, identity, personal stories, and spiritual inspiration. With 46 fine art prints by seventeen different artists and a large-scale basketball pyramid installation by Berkeley artist David Huffman, this exhibition presents a powerful array of figurative and abstract art.
Personal to Political highlights the work of African American artists who are reshaping the world of contemporary art. Included are works by Martin Puryear, known globally for his elegant abstract sculptural forms; San Francisco Bay Area artist Lava Thomas, who considers themes of social justice and female subjectivity; and Lonnie Holley, a self-taught artist and prodigious mixed-media master; as well as art by Kerry James Marshall, Gary Simmons, and Radcliffe Bailey. Abstract quilts by Alabama’s celebrated Gee’s Bend quilters, including Loretta and Essie Pettway and Louisiana and Mary Lee Bendolph, have been adapted into prints, creating dynamic graphic art from the group’s work in traditional textiles.
Above: David Huffman (American, b. 1963) Basketball Pyramid, 2007, color aquatint, spit bite, sugar lift, soft ground, and hard ground etching, 37 ½” x 45″.
Kerry James Marshall (American, b. 1955), Untitled (Handsome Young Man), 2010, hardground etching with aquatint, 24 ½” x 19″.
The fine art prints in this exhibition were produced at Paulson Fontaine Press in Berkeley, California, an artistic hub known for amplifying important, often underrepresented, voices in the visual arts. In 1997, after hearing the painter Kerry James Marshall speak of the need for more Black voices and artwork in museums and art institutions, press co-founder Pam Paulson realized there was work to be done. For over 25 years, Paulson Fontaine Press has worked with a diverse group of artists, collaborating and experimenting with different processes and materials to bring new art and artists to a wider range of audiences.
Martin Puryear (American, b. 1941), Untitled, 2001, color hard ground and soft ground etching with drypoint and chine collé, 35” x 28”.
Loretta Pettway (American, b. 1942), Remember Me, 2009, Color soft ground and spitbite aquatint etching with chine collé, 40” x 39.75”.
Opening Reception
Friday, October 18 • 5 – 7 PM
Members Free • Non-members $10
RSVP to 860.443.2545 or [email protected].
Personal to Political: Celebrating the African American Artists of Paulson Fontaine Press was organized by Bedford Gallery at the Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, CA. Images courtesy of Paulson Fontaine Press, Berkeley, CA.
