Celebrating the auxiliary’s 50th anniversary
(Detroit)—On Sunday, Oct. 14 at 2 p.m. the Detroit Institute of Arts’ (DIA) auxiliary Friends of African and African American Art (FAAAA) will present its eighth annual African Art Recognition Award to Rowland Abiodun, John C. Newton Professor of Art and the History of Art, and of Black Studies, Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts. The DIA established the award to honor the contributions of scholars, artists and collectors who have made significant contributions to the field of African art scholarship. The program is free with museum admission.
Abiodun will present an illustrated talk entitled “Searching for the ‘African’ in ‘African Art Studies.’” Despite the sense of inclusiveness implied by the idea of “globalization,” Western philosophy and Western literary theory are still favored over African thought systems and languages in African art studies. Like “postmodernism” and “deconstructionism,” global studies have generated many theories in which indigenous African perspectives have been glaringly absent. Abiodun will present a critical examination of the premise of some of these prevailing theories, reflecting on their relevance to African art scholarship.
This year’s program is part of a year-long celebration of FAAAA’s 50th anniversary.
Friends of African and African American Art
One of the DIA’s oldest auxiliaries, Friends of African and African American Art (FAAAA) originated as the African Art Gallery Committee in 1962. Its mission was to acquire art for a new gallery dedicated to the traditional art of Africa. By the late 1980s, the auxiliary’s purview expanded to include African American art, and it officially became Friends of African and African American Art in 1992.
FAAAA is committed to raising public awareness and appreciation of the artistic legacy of indigenous Africans and peoples of the African Diaspora. It serves as a catalyst to ensure that these outstanding artistic contributions will be enjoyed and valued by future generations. Proceeds from FAAAA fundraisers sponsor educational programs and help fund art acquisitions for the African and African American art departments. Since its inception, FAAAA has contributed to the acquisition of more than 60 works of art for the museum’s collection.
Hours and Admission
Museum hours are 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Fridays, and 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, $4 for ages 6–17, and free for DIA members and residents of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. For membership information call 313-833-7971.
The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), one of the premier art museums in the United States, is home to more than 60,000 works that comprise a multicultural survey of human creativity from ancient times through the 21st century. From the first Van Gogh painting to enter a U.S. museum (Self-Portrait, 1887), to Diego Rivera’s world-renowned Detroit Industry murals (1932–33), the DIA’s collection is known for its quality, range, and depth. The DIA’s mission is to create opportunities for all visitors to find personal meaning in art.
Programs are made possible with support from the City of Detroit and residents of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.
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