Join Mary Schmidt Campbell, PhD, President of Spelman College and artist Melvin Edwards for a reading and discussion on her definitive biography of one of the most important artists of the twentieth century. As Dr. Campbell shows us in this immersive biography, the relationship between art and race was central to his life and work ̶ a constant, driving creative tension. Dr. Campbell's book offers a full and vibrant account of Bearden's life ̶ his years in Harlem (his studio was above the Apollo theater), to his travels and commissions, along with illuminating analysis of his work and artistic career. Campbell, who met Bearden in the 1970s, was among the first to compile a catalogue of his works. An American Odyssey goes far beyond that, offering a living portrait of an artist and the impact he made upon the world he sought both to recreate and celebrate.
Co-sponsored by New York Institute for the Humanities and Office of the Dean, Tisch School of the Arts