Mosaic Templars Cultural Center to Unveil African American Art Collection!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
For more information, contact:
Mosaic Templars Cultural Center
Phone: 501.683.3593
Email: Phyllis@arkansasheritage.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mosaic Templars Cultural Center to Unveil African American Art Collection!
Little Rock, Arkansas--December 16, 2009--The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, a museum of the Department of Arkansas Heritage will unveil its African American Art Collection, entitled Creativity Arkansas on the Kwanzaa holiday “Kuumba” or Creativity on Thursday, December 31, 2009, 12 pm -1pm. “Kuumba” means to do as much as we can to leave our communities more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited.
The collection focuses on artwork created by Arkansas African American artisans. Consistent with the mission of the Center, the collection preserves and documents Arkansas history through visual arts. Deputy Director Heather Zbinden anticipates this to be the start of a growing collection. “We plan to continually collect art with an Arkansas connection,” Zbinden said.
Garbo Hearne, the director of Hearne Fine Art, served as key contributor to this effort. “The aesthetic quality of the collection will be enhanced by perennial acquisitions with the educational focus on business, politics, and culture,” Hearne said. The Mosaic Templars collection of African American art seeks to celebrate the rich history of black Arkansans.
The collection of the MTCC embraces the diverse artistic expressions by artists such as; Kevin Cole, Susan Williams, Rex Deloney and A.J. Smith. The collection contains paintings, mixed media, sculptures and silverpoint drawings.
The Kwanza principle Nia (Purpose) will be celebrated Wednesday, December 30, 2010, 12 pm-1pm at MTCC. The principle expression on Nia will be the Tidwell Project Dance Ensemble. Kwanzaa, a cultural holiday stemming from African traditions, has become a staple of celebrating unity, community and family. There are seven principles of Kwanzaa: Umoja (Unita), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith).
The mission of the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center is to collect, preserve and interpret African American history in Arkansas. The Cultural Center is located at 501 West Ninth Street in Little Rock. For more information contact us at 501-683-3593.
The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, a museum of the Department of Arkansas Heritage is dedicated to telling the history of African Americans in Arkansas from 1870 to the present especially in the areas of politics, business and the arts. Other agencies of the Department of Arkansas Heritage include Arkansas Arts Council, Arkansas Historic Preservation, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Delta Cultural Center, Historic Arkansas Museum and Old State House Museum.
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