David C. Driskell & Friends • Creativity, Collaboration & Friendship

The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions that have been concealed by the answers                 - Author James Baldwin

The Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, located on the campus of Saginaw Valley State University has opened an expansive and dynamic new nationally touring exhibition titled David C. Driskell & Friends: Creativity, Collaboration, & Friends that will fortunately be running through an extended period of time through February 21^st.

Featuring a total of 68 remarkable works highlighting the artistic legacy of renowned artist, art historian, and curator David C. Driskell, what truly distinguishes this uniquely curated exhibition is manner in which it showcases the importance of his relationships with fellow artist friends such as Hale Woodruff, James Porter, Elizabeth Catlett, Kara Walker, Keith Morrison, Jacob Lawrence, and more.

Organized by The Driskell Center at the University of Maryland, this exhibition highlights David Driskell’s profound legacy, artistry, and influence within the African American art community. Renowned for establishing African American Art as a distinct field of study, Driskell was celebrated during his lifetime as one of the world's foremost authorities on the subject.

This exhibition emphasizes the relational nature of artists' work, providing a foundation for audiences to explore the often-hidden dimensions of the creative process. By focusing on generational relationships and collaborative practices, the exhibition deepens the audience's appreciation of the vital role collaboration plays in African American art.

“This exhibition showcases the transformative impact of David C. Driskell’s artworks and curatorial vision,” said Megan McAdow, Director of the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum. “We are excited to showcase the work of artists who transformed art history by highlighting Black American and African Diaspora artists in the 1970s. This was a groundbreaking movement then and remains an important part of art history today.”

According to Ashley Ross, Associate Director of Collections & Impact at Marshall Fredericks, “David Driskell set the stage for African American Diaspora artists in the United States to stand as a field onto their own. One of his mentors was Lois Jones, who would give him a sense of direction by saying things like, ‘You make art, and we like art for art’s sake, but why is it important? What’s the message behind it?  Consequently, Driskell would take on mentors and mentor others in somewhat of  a symbiotic relationship.”

According to Ross, half of the works featured are creations of Driskell and the other half were created by artists he worked with, such as Jacob Lawrence. Driskell was based in the East Coast and taught at the University of Maryland from 1978-1983 and recently passed away in 2020. The works featured in this exhibition range from work he created in the 1940s through the 1970s.

“Nothing was too big or too small for Driskell,” explains Ross, “and he developed this close coterie of African American artists because he went places, holding workshops at colleges and universities across the country. He wanted to support artists and his passion was to be involved, so would develop friendships and collaborations with these artists. Because they were informed they spoke to one another through their work, more like visually creative messaging through the works they would exchange with one another. 

An especially fascinating component of this exhibition is how Driskell immersed himself in such a wide variety of artistic styles, taking primitive motifs and rendering them in a modern context as the various artists spoke to one another through their work even though they were spread all apart throughout the United States.

“Usually our exhibitions at Marshall Fredericks last three months, but the reasons we’re running this one for five months is because it is to broad, expansive, and spectacular, ” concludes Ross. “Plus we hope to tie it in with different events happening during Black History month, because there is a lot here to digest.”

The Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum is located on the campus of Saginaw Valley State University, 7400 Bay Road, University Center, Michigan. Museum hours are Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.

For more information, call (989) 964-7125 or visit the Museum’s website at www.marshallfredericks.org. and watch their calendar for a list of programs and events that will be held in conjunction with this new exhibition.