The Hewitt Collection of African-American Art, One of the Most Important Collections of its Kind, On View at Museum of the African Diaspora October 17, 2008 through January 11, 2009
Released on: September 26, 2008, 2:12 pm
Press Release Author: Ave Montague
Industry:
Press Release Summary: The Hewitt Collection is Part of the Bank of America Art Collection, One of the World’s Largest and Most Significant Corporate Art Collections
Press Release Body: SAN FRANCISCO – The Museum of African Diaspora and Bank of America today announced that the exhibition The Hewitt Collection of African-American Art will open on October 17. The exhibition consists of 54 two-dimensional works of art by 20 artists from the Hewitt Collection, regarded as one of the most significant collections of African-American art of the 20th century.
The Hewitt Collection of African-American Art consists of works by renowned artists including Romare Bearden, regarded as one of the greatest American artists of his generation; Henry Ossawa Tanner, one of the first African-American artists to achieve acclaim in both America and Europe; Elizabeth Catlett; Jonathan Green; Jacob Lawrence; Ann Tanksley; and Hale Woodruff.
Bank of America acquired the Hewitt Collection in 1998 from John and Vivian Hewitt, dedicated collectors despite their financial limitations; John was a freelance writer and Vivian a librarian. Through their 50 years of collecting, they became close friends with many of the artists, and by the 1970s they were opening their home to showcase the work of Hale Woodruff, Ernest Crichlow, Alvin Hollingsworth, and Eugene Grigsby, a cousin of Mrs. Hewitt’s. Bank of America is sponsoring a national tour to enable people around the country to experience this meaningful collection.
"So many people, through the generosity of Bank of America, will now have the opportunity to learn about and appreciate the outstanding contributions of some of the greatest African-American artists, many of whom have become our friends," said Vivian Hewitt, who shared a life-long passion for collecting art with her late husband, John. This exhibition is being made available to the Museum of African Diaspora as part of the Bank of America Art Exhibition Program, which makes artwork from the Bank of America Collection widely available to museums across the country. The program offers museums the opportunity to exhibit shows from the company’s extensive collection of paintings, prints, photographs, sculptures and art objects.
“The Hewitt Collection exhibition tour, sponsored by Bank of America, has enabled numerous institutions to exhibit these works, and we are happy to bring it to San Francisco through this partnership with the Museum of African Diaspora,” said Rena M. DeSisto, Arts and Culture Executive, Bank of America. “Museums are critical drivers for the local economy. Through partnerships like this, Bank of America supports their work and supports the economic and cultural vibrancy of the communities we serve”
As part of this exhibition, Bank of America offers an educational component for students, which has been created for the Hewitt Collection using Visual Understanding in Education (VUE). This approach uses art to teach thinking, communication skills and visual literacy. More information about VUE can be found at www.vue.org.
The Bank of America Collection is one of the oldest and most significant corporate art collections in the world, reflecting the diversity of artistic expression in America and internationally. These works of art are displayed in museums and Bank of America’s public galleries as well as in corporate offices. As the company has grown in recent decades, the size and scope of the Bank of America Collection has also grown. Today, the collection has been enriched with the art from legacy banks, each with a particular emphasis – regional, thematic, contemporary, and historical.
Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) The only major museum of its kind, MoAD is committed to exhibiting works by modern and contemporary artists of African descent that interpret MoAD’s core themes of Origins, Movement, Adaptation and Transformation throughout the African Diaspora. A global organization located in San Francisco, MoAD explores the universal connection of humankind to Africa through its interpretive exhibitions and public programs. Since opening in December 2005, MoAD has hosted a series of exhibitions curated by the museum or organized by other institutions, attracting more than 85,000 visitors.
Bank of America and the Arts Bank of America is a leading supporter of arts and culture in the United States. Through a wide variety of programs, Bank of America works to strengthen artistic institutions and provide greater access to treasured works of art for both its customers and those who might not otherwise experience them. Each year the company provides millions of dollars in grants to a wide range of arts organizations, supporting education and access programs and enabling institutions to expand their scope, and underwrites national and local performances, arts programs, and exhibitions. Through the Bank of America Traveling Exhibition and Loan Programs, the bank lends its art collection to museums so they may expand their offerings for the benefit of their communities.
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