Tell me your story: 100 years of storytelling in African American art

Abstract

Tell Me Your Story' starts with the Harlem Renaissance. Harlem in the 1920s saw a flurry of activity by African American authors, musicians and theatre makers, resulting in a vibrant visual arts scene. Black culture is currently enjoying another renaissance, and African American artists are more visible than ever in the United States. The exhibition places contemporary artists in the context of their predecessors. 'Tell Me Your Story' focuses on five chronological periods: the Harlem Renaissance, Post Harlem Renaissance, Civil Rights, Black Renaissance and the Bloom Generation. The artists in each of these distinct periods shared one common characteristic: the need to express themselves and safeguard the vital African tradition of storytelling. The exhibition is being organised as part of Kunsthal KAdE's 2020 trilogy on the United States, inspired by the upcoming presidential election on 3 November. This is a key moment in a politically and socially polarised nation. Over the course of the elections KAdE will be holding a presentation exploring the role of artists in the current US environment. The summer period will see the launch of an exhibition on Art Activism in New York during the 1980s, another decade shaped by politically engaged artists.