By: Stephanie Woods McKinney
On Tuesday (April 2,204), the New York Association of Black Journalists was invited to a night of celebration and education while capturing a moment of the Harlem Renaissance for a private view of the magnificent exhibition titled: The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism.
The viewing - at the Metropolitan Museum of Art - showcased artistic works from over 150 Black artists from the 1920s to the core of the civil rights movement in the 1940s.
The collections included philosopher and professor Alain Locke (author of “The New Negro”), literary works and paintings of Zora Neal Hurston as well as gifted paintings by artist Jacob Lawrence.
The displays gave in-depth stories of famous Black artists from Harlem, Chicago and other cities while also displaying an extensive array of original works from well-known and unknown Harlem residents.
photo credit: Stephanie Woods Mckinney
The paintings and artifacts tell more than a story; these prized pieces demonstrate and illustrate the struggle, triumphs, and victories achieved during times when creativity was challenged, and depression and inequality plagued people of color.
Ann Bailis, Head of Communications, and
her team ensured that NYABJ members and their guests enjoyed a night of elegance while briefly discussing the purpose of collecting and preserving items of Black culture at The Met.
photo credit: Bill Allen, Perception Media
Denise Murrell, curator of the exhibition, spoke with members of NYABJ to discuss the importance of the exhibit and the Black artists celebrated in the over 160 works that make up the exhibit. Each work explores the ways in which Black artists portrayed everyday modern life.
Viewers walked the floors slowly and gracefully with pride as the drawings and sculptures took them to a place of the Black experience and Black pride. The evening will forever have a profound impact on all who attended.
According to The Met's website, “The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism will provide an art and artist-centered celebration and investigation into the Harlem Renaissance as a trailblazing, pivotal period within the 20th century.”
The exhibit opened on February 25, 2024, and will be showcased at The Met Fifth Avenue, until July 28, 2024.
Copy Editor: Breanna Robinson
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