Art In Context lecture series: “Harlem Renaissance: Art of Black America” by Dr. Tom Aiello, Valdosta State University
Wed., Feb. 1 at 5 PM at the Sordoni Art Gallery
Though often not discussed as much as literature and theater, visual art was at the heart of the Harlem Renaissance, and Harlem Renaissance art was at the heart of David Driskell’s collecting. This presentation will focus on the painting of the Black 1920s, with particular emphasis on the work of Richard Bruce Nugent and Aaron Douglas.
Thomas Aiello is professor of history and Africana studies at Valdosta State University in Georgia. He is the author of more than twenty books and dozens of peer-reviewed journal articles. His work helped amend the Louisiana constitution to make nonunanimous juries illegal and was cited in the United States Supreme Court as part of its decision ruling them unconstitutional. Among his most recent books is The Artistic Activism of Elombe Brath (Mississippi, 2021), which explores radical Black nationalist art of the 1960s and 1970s. He holds PhDs in history and anthrozoology. Learn more at www.thomasaiellobooks.com.