tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85767709564317251592012-02-10T13:41:32.420+01:00Les Amis de Beauford DelaneyA blog that describes the efforts of a small group of individuals to preserve the French gravesite, and the memory, of painter Beauford Delaney.About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.comBlogger1071100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-28990021933405931832012-02-04T08:24:00.000+01:002012-02-04T08:24:01.251+01:00Beauford at CannesSeveral months ago, I reported that filmmaker Zachary Miller planned to create a short film (under 30 minutes in length) about Beauford. I am pleased to bring you this update on the project.
Miller's film, which remains unedited and untitled as of today, will be showcased in the Short Film Corner at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. Showing the film here will increase its chances of being pickedAbout Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-78847553768068594972012-01-28T06:03:00.000+01:002012-01-28T06:03:09.936+01:00Where to Find Beauford's Art: Swann Galleries 2012 African-American Fine Art SaleAs I reported in my first article about Swann Galleries last October, the auction house launched its department of African-American Fine Art in 2007. Swann Galleries is the only major auction house conducting regular sales of African-American fine art today. The works that it sells are consigned by individuals, libraries, schools, museums, and dealers the world over. Thus far, Swann GalleriesAbout Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-33560018113843675742012-01-21T08:34:00.000+01:002012-01-21T08:34:54.345+01:00Where to Find Beauford's Art: High Museum of ArtThe High Museum of Art in Atlanta holds a single work by Beauford - a portrait of Richard A. Long.
Portrait of Richard A. Long(1965) Oil on canvas
The museum's Web site has the following to say about the painting:
This quarter-length portrait of Long is painted with intense shades of yellow against a soft blue background. It is a tender portrait of a friend that illustrates both the promise of About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-44691976744563995362012-01-14T07:27:00.000+01:002012-01-14T07:27:02.349+01:00Beauford and the Influence of Paul CézanneBeauford was quite interested in the modernist style of painting. He was particularly enamored of the works of Claude Monet, but also loved those of Paul Cézanne. His cityscape entitled Central Park, dated 1950, was described by art critic Mark Lane as being "like Van Gogh in brushing, but like Cézanne in fête-champêtre (garden party) spirit."
Central Park note card*
Pomegranate
According to About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-85571616674608294222012-01-07T09:24:00.002+01:002012-01-07T22:05:42.004+01:00Beauford's TrusteesIn January 1976, a French judge created a "trusteeship" to handle Beauford's affairs. Beauford had been admitted to Saint-Anne's, a psychiatric institution, several months before. He eventually died there.
The judge appointed seven of Beauford's closest friends as members of the panel of trustees: James Baldwin, Solange du Closel, Burt Reinfrank, Bernard Hassell, Darthea Speyer, Ahmed Bioud, About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-81841996577833242932011-12-31T08:32:00.000+01:002011-12-31T08:32:58.033+01:00Fix Me Jesus: Beauford's Solace in December 1953Happy Birthday, Beauford!
December 30, 1901
************
In December 1953, Beauford and the rest of the citizens of Paris were experiencing one of the coldest winters on record. According to David Leeming's biography entitled Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney, Beauford tried to keep warm in his freezing room at the Hôtel des Ecoles by wrapping himself in a blanket. He wrote notes to About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-42348060716196057622011-12-24T08:11:00.000+01:002011-12-24T08:11:13.970+01:00Where to Find Beauford's Art: Metropolitan Museum of ArtMerry Christmas
from Les Amis de Beauford Delaney!
****************
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan holds a single work by Beauford – a portrait of Stanislas Rodanski:
Stanislas Rodanski
1992.296
Beauford Delaney (1901-1979)
(c) Droits réservés
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
George A. Hearn Fund, 1992
The painting is not currently on display.
The Met loaned this About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-70706430148287490332011-12-17T07:43:00.000+01:002011-12-17T07:43:30.765+01:00Why Are So Many of Beauford's Paintings in Museum Storage?In my search for Beauford’s art in museums around the world, I have discovered that most of his work is not being displayed. Rather, it is in storage. (At the Whitney Museum of American Art, all of the Delaneys are in storage.) The more I searched, the more I began to wonder why. For those museums that present some pieces but not others, I wondered how they selected which one(s) to hang.
I About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-8599605995710642922011-12-10T08:14:00.000+01:002011-12-10T08:14:06.174+01:00Where to Find Beauford's Art: Whitney Museum of American ArtThe Whitney Museum of American Art in Manhattan holds five paintings by Beauford. I was able to obtain information and images for four of them.
Among these works is the self-portrait that graces the cover of the David A. Leeming biography Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney.
Auto-portrait
(1965) Oil on canvas
The museum supplied the following text about the painting:
Delaney painted About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-23093324459934273952011-12-03T08:42:00.004+01:002011-12-03T09:27:41.569+01:00Where to Find Beauford's Art: Midwestern USSeveral museums in the Midwest hold works by Beauford:
Minneapolis Institute of Arts - Minneapolis, MN
Art Institute of Chicago - Chicago, IL
University of Michigan Museum of Art - Ann Arbor, MI
University of Iowa Museum of Art - Iowa City, IA
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts (MIA) produced the most recent one-man show of Beauford's work. It was mounted in 2004 and traveled to three U.S. About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-87640164533042978042011-11-26T08:51:00.000+01:002011-11-26T08:51:43.841+01:00Happy Thanksgiving!
The Les Amis blog is taking Thanksgiving Day weekend off!
May you and your loved ones be showered with blessings this weekend and throughout the holiday season.
Sincerely,
Monique
President, Les Amis de Beauford Delaney
About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-31431802224962419772011-11-19T08:25:00.000+01:002011-11-19T08:25:59.125+01:00Beauford and the Catalog of American PortraitsIn researching last week's posting about Beauford's works at the National Portrait Gallery, I learned about the Catalog of American Portraits. Known by the acronym CAP, it maintains records of historically significant American portraits - those made of notable American subjects or created by notable American artists.
CAP has been cataloging portraits since 1971, when it initiated a survey of About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-85595880639906831782011-11-12T03:21:00.000+01:002011-11-12T03:21:09.649+01:00Beauford at the Smithsonian Institution - Part 2Last week's posting presented works by Beauford and papers relevant to Beauford at the Smithsonian Institution's Museum of American Art and Archives of American Art, respectively. This week, we'll look at the holdings of the National Portrait Gallery.
I've written several times about Beauford's portrait of James Baldwin that is held by the National Portrait Gallery. The Gallery owns two About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-6784580232619688252011-11-05T06:33:00.000+01:002011-11-05T06:33:16.123+01:00Beauford at the Smithsonian Institution - Part 1As part of my mission to provide you with information about where Beauford's works can be found in the U.S. and around the world, I am bringing you a two-part accounting of works by and about Beauford that are held at the Smithsonian Institution.
Earlier this year, I published a guest posting by Jason Steiber of the Smithsonian's Archives of American Art about the museum’s acquisition of DartheaAbout Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-49734305418510045882011-10-29T10:27:00.001+02:002012-01-25T12:23:52.047+01:00Where to find Beauford's Art: Swann GalleriesSwann Galleries launched its African-American Fine Art department in 2007. It is the only major auction house conducting regular sales of African-American fine art today. The works that it sells are consigned by individuals, libraries, schools, museums, and dealers the world over.
Since 2007, Swann Galleries has put twenty-eight (28) of Beauford’s paintings up for auction. Over 60% of them About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-71691059382222788872011-10-22T08:03:00.001+02:002011-10-29T08:48:59.980+02:00Where to Find Beauford's Art: New EnglandIf you live in New England, or are planning a visit there, note that you can see works by Beauford at the following museums:
Worcester Art Museum - Worcester, Massachusetts
Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art - Hartford, Connecticut
Bowdoin College Museum of Art - Brunswick, Maine
The Worcester Art Museum holds a portrait entitled Portrait of Gaylord. It is on view in the Rose Gallery on the About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-79541598835689643062011-10-15T09:36:00.002+02:002011-10-29T08:49:32.217+02:00Celebrating Beauford - 1st Anniversary!On Friday, October 14, 2011, Les Amis de Beauford Delaney hosted a small gathering to mark the first anniversary of the gravesite ceremony and reception that celebrated the laying of the tombstone at Beauford’s eternal home at Thiais Cemetery. Several friends gathered at the Select Café in Montparnasse to share food and drink and to honor Beauford’s memory. The Select was one of Beauford’s About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-47723154348780550492011-10-08T07:10:00.002+02:002011-10-08T21:55:21.608+02:00Where to Find Beauford's Art: Museums in the Tri-state AreaThose living in the tri-state area (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware) will be pleased to learn that there are three museums that hold works by Beauford!
I've already presented the portrait of James Baldwin at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in a recent posting. There is a second painting by Beauford at this museum as well. It is an oil-on-canvas portrait of two women named Marian and About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-7176107054140881112011-10-01T10:30:00.001+02:002011-10-01T10:32:20.287+02:00Where to Find Beauford's Art: Michael Rosenfeld GalleryThe Michael Rosenfeld Gallery (MRG) has the most extensive collection of Beauford's work in the world today. As I've previously reported in this blog, MRG frequently presents Beauford's paintings in its expositions, and has mounted two solo exhibits of his work. The gallery was a major contributor to the Beauford Delaney Gravesite Project, and provided the donation that allowed Les Amis to reachAbout Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-61066281492232148142011-09-24T07:32:00.000+02:002011-09-24T07:32:12.101+02:00Beauford’s Portrait of Colin GravoisIn December 2010, I published an account of Colin Gravois’s friendship with Beauford as Colin relayed it to me in an interview. Colin describes the experience of sitting for a portrait with Beauford and regretting that he did not return to Beauford’s studio to recuperate it before Beauford was committed to Saint Anne’s Hospital.
Here is the portrait that Beauford painted of Colin:
Portrait of aAbout Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-5783396648848133842011-09-17T08:55:00.000+02:002011-09-17T08:55:30.256+02:00Where to Find Beauford’s Art: Musée cantonal des Beaux-ArtsIn Romare Bearden and Harry Henderson’s chapter on Beauford in A History of African-American Artists – From 1792 to the Present, the authors state that “Beauford Delaney has no long list of museum credits, prizes, or awards.” While Beauford may not have won many prizes, he certainly has numerous museum credits to his name. Many date after the publication of Bearden and Henderson’s book; all About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-14142246239636638892011-09-10T08:12:00.000+02:002011-09-10T08:12:16.148+02:00Beauford at the Centre PompidouI recently discovered that the Centre Pompidou is in possession of one of Beauford's paintings:
Untitled
Beauford Delaney
(1957) Oil on canvas, 1.62 m x 1.14 m
(C) Collection Centre Pompidou, Dist. RMN / Philippe Migeat
This is a phenomenal work; when I first saw the image of it, I was dazzled! I wanted to go immediately to the Pompidou Center to see it, but unfortunately, I learned that the About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-1764708127225865552011-09-03T07:24:00.000+02:002011-09-03T07:24:38.634+02:00September - A Milestone Month for Beauford and Les AmisA year has already passed since I proudly announced on this blog that Les Amis de Beauford Delaney had been successful at placing a tombstone at Beauford's previously unmarked grave! The date was September 2, 2010. View the blog posting here:
http://lesamisdebeauforddelaney.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_archive.html
September 2 is also Beauford's presumed arrival date in France, given that he About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-3767570205332719482011-08-27T07:18:00.000+02:002011-08-27T07:18:49.938+02:00Romare Bearden and Harry Henderson on BeaufordRomare Bearden, an African-American artist and writer, co-authored a book called A History of African-American Artists – from 1792 to the Present with Anglo-American journalist Harry Henderson. The book contains a brief chapter (seven pages) devoted to Beauford.
The chapter is primarily biographical, but there are also several scholarly descriptions of Beauford’s works. Bearden and Henderson About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-23271114151058808322011-08-20T07:53:00.001+02:002011-08-25T19:07:42.058+02:00Beauford's Portraits of James Baldwin - Part 2Last week, Dr. Catherine St. John commented on two of Beauford's portraits of James Baldwin. both of which are in private collections. Today, I present images of two Baldwin portraits that belong to major museums and one from a private collection that traveled the U.S. in a major exposition of Beauford's works, along with excerpts from descriptions that the museums present(ed) with these works.About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-39200042947937807422011-08-13T06:21:00.000+02:002011-08-13T06:21:04.704+02:00Beauford's Portraits of James Baldwin - Part 1I recently received a letter from Dr. Catherine St. John, Doctor of Arts, Professor of Humanities and Social Sciences at Berkeley College in New Jersey, and long time supporter of Les Amis de Beauford Delaney. In it, she states: Beauford Delaney’s life-spanning friendship with James Baldwin is well known. A rewarding topic of focus for me is the dozen or so portraits he did of Baldwin, his muse.About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-24578653169001208092011-08-06T07:55:00.001+02:002011-08-07T17:13:56.852+02:00Bob Shigeo Remembers BeaufordBob Shigeo is an American artist and WWII veteran who has lived in Paris since 1953. Inspired by the kinetic art of Alexander Calder and the paintings of Jackson Pollack, he took advantage of the GI bill to study at the Escuela Nacional de Pintura y Escultura in Mexico, the Art Students’ League in New York, and finally the Ecole de la Grande Chaumière in Paris.
Bob Shigeo at the reception About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-81197877655395844602011-07-30T06:49:00.000+02:002011-07-30T06:49:01.760+02:00Joseph Delaney Remembers BeaufordJoseph Delaney was Beauford’s younger brother. Born in 1904, he and Beauford were the closest in age of the Delaney siblings. Both became artists and were part of a community of artists living in NYC during the Great Depression. Both have their works exhibited at the Knoxville Museum of Art in their hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee.
Image of a portrait of Joseph Delaney
by Beauford Delaney
About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-45810752258493950512011-07-23T07:35:00.002+02:002011-07-23T21:48:57.419+02:00Larry Calcagno's Portrait of BeaufordLarry Calcagno's portrait of Beauford is one of the rare examples of someone other than Beauford committing Beauford's image to paper. (See the posting on the Georgia O'Keeffe portraits for other examples.)
Portrait of Beauford Delaney
Lawrence Calcagno
(1972) Acrylic
I wrote about Beauford's friendship with Calcagno in April of this year. The first image in that article is the cover of the About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-43052716689936124402011-07-16T10:15:00.000+02:002011-07-16T10:15:10.106+02:00Kelli Agodon's Tribute to BeaufordA few days ago, Les Amis de Beauford Delaney received a donation from Kelli Russell Agodon, along with a note of thanks to Les Amis for publishing this blog. When I wrote to thank her for her contribution, she responded that she planned to write about Beauford on her blog, Book of Kells.
On Thursday, July 14th, she did just that.
Kelli's tribute to Beauford is entitled Thankful Thursday - About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-74686438128578218612011-07-09T07:31:00.002+02:002011-07-17T14:07:38.659+02:00Why Artisan? Thinking about BeaufordBy EL Kornegay Jr.
In a previous posting entitled "Beauford Delaney: The Artisan as Witness," EL Kornegay Jr. took a first, insightful look at Beauford's art from the vantage point of his emerging awareness of Beauford's influence on James Baldwin. Here, he elaborates on what he sees as the difference between Beauford as "artist" and Beauford as "artisan."There may seem to be very little About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-39833922530886572202011-07-02T06:44:00.001+02:002011-07-02T06:47:40.080+02:00Beauford Painting Auctioned at Doyle New YorkMany thanks to DLeopold, who recently shared the following comment on the blog posting about Beauford and Al Hirschfeld:
Hirschfeld and Freeman were instrumental in introducing Delaney to a wide range of friends and collectors, which provided him the means to focus on his art. Several works on paper by Delaney from Hirschfeld's collection will go to the auction block on June 22nd. Check it out About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-12053445959261071792011-06-25T05:06:00.000+02:002011-06-25T05:06:45.110+02:00Beauford and Friends on Greene StreetAfter reading last week's guest posting by Richard Gibson on sitting for his Delaney portrait, his friend Tony Hagert sent the information below regarding Beauford's studio on Greene Street in New York. It is a wonderful glimpse at what life was like for him, his roommate, Richard Hadlock, and landlord Beauford!
Greene Street
Beauford Delaney
(1940) Oil on canvas
Photo by André Moran from the About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-71913932311828541652011-06-18T06:52:00.000+02:002011-06-18T06:52:03.417+02:00Richard Gibson Sits for a Portrait by BeaufordRichard Gibson met Beauford at the age of sixteen in Philadelphia, and considered Beauford a friend and mentor for the rest of his life. Among the things that Beauford helped Gibson accomplish was to get accepted at the Yaddo artists’ community in Sarasota Springs, NY when he was a struggling young writer trying to produce his first book. In this posting, he talks about how Beauford came to About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-13634200643239507622011-06-11T07:20:00.000+02:002011-06-11T07:20:59.099+02:00Beauford’s Works Shown Again in Paris?Might Beauford’s works be shown again in Paris? If Dorothy Polley of Dorothy’s Gallery has anything to say about it, the answer is a resounding “YES”!
You may remember the name Dorothy Polley from blog postings that I published during 2010. Dorothy’s Gallery generously donated twice to the Beauford Delaney Gravesite Project – first from funds from her gallery itself and then from the proceedsAbout Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-56393251947592287942011-06-04T07:49:00.002+02:002011-07-09T07:31:12.316+02:00Beauford Delaney: The Artisan as Witnessby EL Kornegay
EL Kornegay, Jr. is a FTE Fellow and PhD Candidate at Chicago Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois, where he is nearing completion of his dissertation on the religious and theological mind of James Baldwin. His awareness and appreciation of Beauford and his work has arisen because of his investigation of Beauford’s influence on Baldwin.I have come to know Beauford Delaney in About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-54695943484058600832011-05-28T09:32:00.000+02:002011-05-28T09:32:04.684+02:00Beauford's PortraitsIn "A Narrative of Belonging: The Art of Beauford Delaney and Glenn Ligon," Dr. Catherine St. John writes:
It is the expressive single-figure realist portrait that first brought Beauford Delaney critical notice and a measure of success. He loved people. He continued the art of portraiture without interruption throughout his career. His portraits tell a story that is human and real, saying as About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-69757011664951220702011-05-21T08:59:00.000+02:002011-05-21T08:59:46.627+02:00A Film about BeaufordSince the founding of Les Amis de Beauford Delaney in 2009, I have spoken with several filmmakers who have expressed interest in creating a work about Beauford. Zachary J. Miller of 2 Bulls on the Hill Productions is the first to take concrete action on this idea. He is currently producing a short film (30 minutes or less) about Beauford – the man and the artist. Miller’s goal is to present About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-46943830271974843062011-05-14T08:25:00.000+02:002011-05-14T08:25:55.624+02:00Beauford and Al HirschfeldCaricature of Beauford Delaney (1941)
Albert Hirschfeld
Charcoal on paper, Private collection
Image from Beauford Delaney: New York to Paris catalog
Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Al Hirschfeld was a well-known caracaturist and a friend of Beauford. Little detail is available in print about their relationship, but it is evident that Hirschfeld (and his wife, Dolly) were very fond of Beauford andAbout Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-11985115466401947402011-05-07T07:44:00.000+02:002011-05-07T07:44:39.339+02:00Special Video: Richard A. Long talks about Beauford - Part 2Catalog for Studio Museum in Harlem exposition
In Part 2 of the video, Richard shares the story of how he came to be curator of Beauford's one-man show at the Studio Museum in Harlem in 1979.
About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-41921257358887408882011-04-30T10:14:00.001+02:002011-04-30T10:16:39.984+02:00Special Video: Richard A. Long Talks about Beauford - Part 1I was delighted to learn that Beauford's friend Richard A. Long, curator of the first retrospective of Beauford’s works that was mounted at the Studio Museum in Harlem in 1978, would be visiting Paris this week. Tom and I met him at his hotel, where he was gracious enough to allow us to video him talking about Beauford:
Note: The High Museum obtained Beauford's portrait of Richard Long in About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-14949567686349842682011-04-23T11:09:00.000+02:002011-04-23T11:09:46.172+02:00Beauford in ColorI found this beautiful COLOR photo of Beauford, taken by Carl Van Vechten on March 18, 1953, while surfing the Web last week:
Portrait of Beauford Delaney
© 1953 Carl Van Vechten
Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University
I then found a second portrait on another Web site (with no attributions mentioned) a few days later:
Van Vechten undoubtedly took these photos on the same About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-33582784431582096702011-04-16T09:08:00.001+02:002011-04-17T23:54:13.780+02:00Beauford at the Art Miami Basel Festival
Laurence Choko, proprietor of the Galerie Intemporel in Paris, displayed the Beauford Delaney painting entitled Portrait de Vasilli Pikoula during her Ten is One exposition at the Art Miami Basel Festival in December 2010.
Works by Arturo Montoto and Beauford Delaney
Exposition Ten is One , Art Basel Miami Festival 2010
Photo courtesy of Galerie Intemporel
Choko has the following to say About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-9646478358784769452011-04-09T09:45:00.001+02:002011-04-11T15:26:12.323+02:00Beauford and Larry CalcagnoAn Artistic Friendship: Beauford Delaney and Lawrence Calcagno
Catalog cover for art exposition
Palmer Museum of Art (2001)
Larry Calcagno was one of Beauford’s closest friends. They met in Paris through their mutual friend Charley Boggs. Beauford and Calcagno were both artists, both gay men, and both deeply philosophical. Beauford’s biographer, David A. Leeming, describes their relationship About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-88363310015462041182011-04-02T09:44:00.000+02:002011-04-02T09:44:56.771+02:00More on Beauford's Last Studio - Rue VercingétorixYou may recall that I published a posting about Beauford's last studio, which was located at 53, rue Vercingétorix in Paris' 14th arrondissement, last year. (Click here to see photos of the neighborhood in its current state as well as photos of the interior of the studio and Beauford and Henry Miller in the courtyard outside.)
I have finally found a photo of the façade of the building that was About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-21099489234888226712011-03-26T18:58:00.001+01:002011-04-11T18:08:44.630+02:00Galerie Darthea Speyer Records Go to the SmithsonianIn commemoration of the 32nd anniversary of Beauford's death, I am pleased to reopen the Les Amis de Beauford Delaney blog with a wonderful guest posting that has been contributed by Jason Stieber of the Smithsonian Institution's Archives of American Art. All images below have been provided by the Smithsonian.**********
When Beauford Delaney arrived in Paris in 1953, his circumstances were hardlyAbout Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-65949520055917377832011-01-26T09:12:00.000+01:002011-01-26T09:12:20.131+01:00Beauford at the Michael Rosenfeld Gallery Beauford Delaney circa 1950Photo possibly taken by Gjon Mili
The Michael Rosenfeld Gallery has mounted an exposition called Abstract Expressionism: Reloading the Canon, which is comprised of a selection of paintings and sculpture. Two of Beauford's works – Composition, 1958 and Composition Bleu, 1960 – are part of the show. Both works are oil on canvas, and both are signed and dated. BeaufordAbout Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-26950943080725411622010-12-30T13:59:00.003+01:002011-05-27T16:02:09.889+02:00Happy Birthday, Beauford!Portrait of Beauford Delaney© 1953 Carl Van Vechten
Beauford was born 109 years ago today!
I am both pleased and a little saddened as I write this posting, because I am honoring Beauford’s beginning as well as announcing an ending of sorts. I am celebrating Beauford today by presenting several of my favorite images of him and his work. But I am also placing the blog on hiatus as of today, and About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-1354165921269464702010-12-22T14:21:00.000+01:002010-12-22T14:21:23.099+01:00The Beauford Delaney LettersSchomburg Center for Research in Black Culture© 2007 – Dmadeo
The Schomburg Center in Manhattan holds an archive of twenty-four pieces of correspondence that pertain to Beauford. They date from 1958-1963. Eighteen of these are personal letters written by Beauford to Lynn Stone, a friend and supporter from his “New York Years.” Biographer David Leeming refers to Stone several times in Amazing About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-74125273735162572312010-12-15T13:52:00.000+01:002010-12-15T13:52:08.531+01:00Colin Gravois Remembers BeaufordColin Gravois has lived in Paris / Ile de France since 1968. He met Beauford when Beauford lived on rue Vercingétorix, and has very fond memories of him. Colin spoke at the gravesite ceremony that Les Amis held at Thiais Cemetery on October 14th. He recently recounted his memories of Beauford in an interview at his office in Antony (a suburb located south of Paris).
Colin Gravois at Beauford’s About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-43259865811824268712010-12-08T12:41:00.000+01:002010-12-08T12:41:37.210+01:00Beauford Describes Beauford: Beauford's Tribute to Henry MillerHere is yet another contribution to the Les Amis blog by Beauford's dear friend Burt Reinfrank. Though I have thanked Burt privately for these guest postings, I want to do so publicly today. Burt has been one of my staunchest supports regarding the blog, and everything else concerning Beauford and the gravesite project. Thank you, Burt!
Though the title of the painting shown below is Self About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-76152465811057166962010-12-01T09:12:00.000+01:002010-12-01T09:14:13.859+01:00Brief Musings on Beauford and James BaldwinBaldwin, Beauford, and Lucien Happersberger in Paris, 1953Photo from James Baldwin by David Leeming James Baldwin died twenty-three years ago today. He was among the best friends that Beauford had.
Baldwin owed a great deal to his friendship with Beauford. In The Price of the Ticket, he states that his career began when his life in Greenwich Village began, and that this life began when he met About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-71472299969153314372010-11-24T10:07:00.000+01:002010-11-24T10:07:44.719+01:00Les Amis de Beauford Delaney's First Anniversary!One year ago today, the Journal Officiel published an announcement declaring Les Amis de Beauford Delaney a bona-fide non-profit association in France. It seems like only a few weeks ago!
As president of the association, I am proud to say that we have accomplished every element of the mission that we presented to the government as part of our application for official status:
1. Placement and About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-40289825837591391432010-11-17T09:44:00.000+01:002010-12-12T21:26:43.384+01:00Beauford and the Influence of Claude MonetEveryone in Paris who has an interest in art is talking about Claude Monet these days. The huge retrospective of this revered Impressionist painter at the Grand Palais is sold out through the end of the exposition on January 24, 2011! Not to mention the fact that the 170th anniversary of his birth (November 14, 1840) was just a few days ago, and the 84th anniversary of his death (December 5, 1926About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-49348770915950267152010-11-10T12:20:00.000+01:002010-12-12T21:22:37.735+01:00It's Not What You Think!David Leeming indicates in his biography Amazing Grace that Beauford was rarely painted nudes because of his shyness. This makes the remembrance below, provided by Burt Reinfrank, even more interesting!
*******************
It was a beautiful, sunny autumn afternoon when I knocked on Beauford’s studio door. I heard the echo of Beauford’s voice back in the studio saying “I’m coming.” I could hearAbout Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-28280242262670559752010-11-03T13:35:00.000+01:002010-11-03T13:35:44.502+01:00A Redhead in His BedBurt Reinfrank kindly sent the following anecdote about Beauford in his later years, when he was living at the studio on rue Vercingétorix. He indicated that this is a story that is told by others as well as himself.
********************
Beauford at his rue Vercingétorix studio, 1972
It was a fall Saturday morning. Signs of a colder winter to come were in the air. Beauford’s health and his About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-1373570715836428112010-10-27T12:07:00.000+02:002010-10-27T12:07:59.265+02:00Celebrating Beauford! – The ReceptionWe left Thiais Cemetery at about 5:20 PM to go to the George C. Marshall Center. Though traffic was again a major challenge, we managed to get back into town about ten minutes before the reception was due to begin. We were greeted graciously by the staff of the U.S. Embassy’s public affairs department at the gate to the Hôtel Talleyrand on rue Saint-Florentin in the 1st arrondissement, and led upAbout Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-58039166831897152332010-10-20T11:26:00.000+02:002010-12-12T21:21:00.849+01:00Celebrating Beauford! – The Gravesite CeremonyOn October 14, 2010, a group of seventeen persons began gathering at place de la Concorde at around 2 PM for our trek out to Thiais Cemetery for the gravesite ceremony to inaugurate Beauford’s tombstone. We boarded a minibus and left at roughly 2:45 PM. Due to the transit strike, our musicians were barely able to make it to place de la Concorde by car in time. Once they arrived, however, they About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-53103690024028494112010-10-13T08:55:00.000+02:002010-10-18T22:57:25.701+02:00Celebrating Beauford at the Hotel TalleyrandOn Thursday, we celebrate Beauford at a gravesite ceremony at Thiais Cemetery, followed by an evening reception at the George C. Marshall Center in the Hôtel Talleyrand in Paris.
As you can imagine, I am very busy with last minute arrangements! But I wanted to share with you some photos of the venue:
Entrance - rue Saint-Florentin© Discover Paris!
Grand Staircase
© Discover Paris!
Ceiling About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-33449852602832473502010-10-06T11:46:00.000+02:002010-12-12T21:12:24.094+01:00Beauford's Last Studio - Rue VercingétorixOn Thursday, October 14th, Les Amis de Beauford Delaney will celebrate Beauford with a commemorative ceremony at his newly laid tombstone at Thiais Cemetery, followed by a reception co-sponsored by the American Embassy at the George C. Marshall Center in Paris. If you have received an invitation, but have not yet sent your RSVP to the Embassy, please do so as soon as possible. The final guest About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-77808642001125347402010-09-29T09:03:00.000+02:002010-09-29T09:03:40.412+02:00Ed Clark Remembers BeaufordEd Clark is one of the few living artists who expatriated to Paris in the years after World War II. He was a great friend of Beauford, and was pleased to accord me an interview about him.
Clark arrived in Paris in 1952, the year before Beauford settled there. He sailed on the SS Liberté (as Beauford did in 1953), and described the treatment that he received as a passenger traveling third class About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-79244698002936033882010-09-23T14:50:00.000+02:002010-09-23T14:50:45.177+02:00Henry Miller's 1972 Tribute to BeaufordI am pleased to announce that the Henry Miller lithograph that was donated to Les Amis de Beauford Delaney in support of our fundraising efforts has been sold by Dorothy's Gallery! Proceeds will offset the cost of the commemorative ceremony at Beauford's gravesite and the reception to be held afterward at the George C. Marshall Center in Paris. Many thanks to Dorothy Polley, who agreed to sell About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-15646553789066848272010-09-15T16:08:00.000+02:002010-09-15T20:43:55.715+02:00Dorothy's Gallery Supports BeaufordDorothy’s Gallery has graciously offered to sell the Henry Miller lithograph entitled Sarasota on behalf of Les Amis de Beauford Delaney.
Dorothy Polley, owner of Dorothy’s Gallery, is a long-time American expatriate from Norwalk, Connecticut. She launched the gallery at 27, rue Keller in the 11th arrondissement, Paris in 2006. Having already demonstrated her support for Les Amis by contributingAbout Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-65564705218273089522010-09-08T22:10:00.000+02:002010-09-08T22:10:55.647+02:00Herb Gentry Serigraph Once Again Up for AuctionHello everyone,
You may remember that during our fundraising drive for Beauford's tombstone, we received a remarkable donation from Mary Anne Rose and the Herbert Gentry estate – a beautiful serigraph entitled Simply Green. ArtNet, an organization in Manhattan that describes itself as "the place to buy, sell and research fine art online," put the work up for auction. But it did not sell.
My About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-80118356341615791812010-09-02T12:13:00.000+02:002010-09-02T12:14:28.382+02:00Beauford's Tombstone is in Place!Tombstone Inscription© Discover Paris!
Less than a year after founding Les Amis de Beauford Delaney, I am extremely pleased to announce that Beauford’s tombstone is in place! The inscription reads:
Beauford DelaneyPeintre • Painter30 December 1901 - 26 March 1979Born: Knoxville, Tennessee USADied: Paris, France"I am home"
As a reminder, Les Amis was founded in November 2009 with the intent to About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-15681180368427937142010-08-28T14:39:00.000+02:002010-12-12T21:09:12.839+01:00Beauford's Ocean Voyage to ParisFifty-seven years ago today, Beauford set sail for France on the SS Liberté.
Beauford on the deck of the SS Liberté Photo from David Leeming’s Amazing Grace
I googled the ship’s name and was pleasantly surprised to find lots of interesting information about it! I also found photos that depict the accommodations that Beauford (and fellow artist Herb Gentry) experienced aboard ship.
The About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-85750184460111156912010-08-18T17:37:00.000+02:002010-08-23T23:10:34.278+02:00Beauford: The Georgia O'Keeffe PortraitsPortrait of Beauford DelaneyGeorgia O'Keeffe(1943) Pastel on paperCurtis Galleries, Minneapolis, MN
The Georgia O'Keeffe portraits of Beauford are the most beautiful portrayals of him that I have ever seen. The one shown above is part of the private collection of Curtis Galleries in Minneapolis, Minnesota. There is a second portrait at the National Portrait Gallery at the Smithsonian, and a About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-17512054636878345492010-08-11T12:56:00.000+02:002010-08-11T12:57:11.242+02:00"Soul Brother" or The Haynes Restaurant PortraitBelow is another remembrance of Burt Reinfrank about Beauford. This one concerns a Delaney portrait at Haynes’ Restaurant.
Haynes’ was the longest standing African-American-owned restaurant in Paris. For many years, Leroy Haynes regaled his customers with great Southern cuisine and his larger-than-life persona at 3, rue Clauzel in the 9th arrondissement. After his death in 1986, his widow About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-9943707297606918572010-08-04T15:01:00.000+02:002010-08-04T15:01:38.336+02:00Beauford and the Reinfrank PortraitBurt Reinfrank was a close personal friend of Beauford. When I started this blog, Burt graciously consented to contribute remembrances of events and encounters with Beauford from time to time. I am pleased to share one of these below.
********************
I had never thought of having a portrait done of myself. But in September 1966, when I saw the portrait Beauford was working on at his About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-11921707971799188762010-07-28T12:57:00.000+02:002010-07-28T12:57:34.728+02:00Anatomy of an Art Exposition - Part 2Last week, I brought you Sue Canterbury’s story of how she came to know Beauford’s work and decided to create the 2004-2005 one-show Beauford Delaney: From New York to Paris. This week’s posting brings you many of the behind-the-scenes details of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts (MIA) show.
ArtsMIA Web page for Beauford’s show
Les Amis: How much space was devoted to the show?
Sue CanterburyAbout Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-46336132509762062622010-07-21T13:41:00.000+02:002010-07-21T13:41:41.875+02:00Anatomy of an Art Exposition - Part 1Sue Canterbury was the curator of the magnificent exhibit entitled Beauford Delaney: From New York to Paris that originated at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts (November 21, 2004 – February 20, 2005) and was subsequently presented by the Knoxville Museum of Art (April 8 – June 25, 2005), the Greenville County Museum of Art (August 3 – October 2, 2005), and the Philadelphia Museum of Art (About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-17975816411525153042010-07-14T06:34:00.000+02:002010-07-14T06:34:25.096+02:00Roy Freeman Remembers BeaufordRoy Freeman is an artist, writer, and caregiver for autistic adults. The son of artists Don and Lydia Cooley Freeman, he left home at the age of sixteen to "seek his fortune" in the world—he dabbled in painting, music, and dance in San Francisco, lived with the Mazatec Indians in Mexico, and had many additional life experiences prior to settling down in Switzerland to study nature at the age of About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-16071894144843133182010-07-07T22:50:00.000+02:002010-07-07T22:50:01.507+02:00Beauford's Works at Christie's Paris -- The AuctionChristie's Paris© Discover Paris!
The auction of the Darthea Speyer collection at Christie's Paris took place on Wednesday, 7 July 2010. Six Delaney paintings were among the 432 works sold.
I was fortunate enough to be able to see Beauford's works at Christie's before the auction. The photo below shows the portraits as they were displayed in the Salon Matignon IV.
Beauford's Portraits at About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-23499176300182211412010-07-01T23:09:00.000+02:002010-07-01T23:09:38.862+02:00Beauford's Works at Christie's ParisIn July, Christie's Paris is auctioning an incredible selection of art works and personal items owned by Darthea Speyer. The Darthea Speyer Gallery closed its doors permanently at the beginning of this year, and the Christie's auction is part of the total liquidation of the gallery's collection.
Beauford and DartheaInvitation card for 1973 exhibit at Galerie Darthea SpeyerCourtesy of GalerieAbout Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-83490614571495845862010-06-25T17:53:00.001+02:002011-05-27T12:40:42.280+02:00Beauford at the Art Institute of ChicagoLast week, I had the pleasure of presenting “Beauford Delaney: From Paris to Beyond” at the G. R. N’Namdi Gallery. The talk was extremely well received, and I was proud to announce to the audience that Les Amis de Beauford Delaney has reached its fundraising goal.
I was also pleased to announce that, earlier in the day, I had had the opportunity to visit the Art Institute of Chicago to see the About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-11409884150241061092010-06-18T16:57:00.000+02:002010-06-18T16:57:59.333+02:00Fundraising Success!I am very pleased to announce that Les Amis de Beauford Delaney has successfully achieved its fundraising goal! Many thanks all of our donors, whose names you will find listed in the right margin. Special thanks go to the Michael Rosenfeld Gallery for having submitted the contribution that allowed us to reach $8500!
Things are moving along swiftly now. Beauford's tombstone has been ordered, About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-52670976492404529152010-06-13T08:39:00.000+02:002010-06-14T19:32:53.880+02:00Beauford at the George R. N’Namdi Gallery in ChicagoI am pleased to announce that I will present “Beauford Delaney: From Paris to Beyond” at the George R. N’Namdi Gallery, 110 North Peoria in Chicago on June 17, 2010 at 5:30 PM. I encourage everyone in the Chicago area to attend – it would be my pleasure to meet you and to share with you my perspective on Beauford’s life and art!
In honor of the occasion, the G. R. N’Namdi Gallery granted me an About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-69134615723088248922010-06-08T07:51:00.000+02:002010-06-08T07:51:02.371+02:00ArtNet Auction of Herb Gentry Serigraph is Live!A couple of weeks ago, I reported in a blog posting that Mary Anne Rose donated a Herb Gentry serigraph to benefit the Beauford Delaney Gravesite Project. I am thrilled to inform you that ArtNet has placed the work up for auction as of 4:30 PM Eastern Time on June 8. Bidding is now open!
Always GreenHerbert GentrySerigraph (2000)
Mary Anne Rose provides the following description of the print:About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-4729498772702278912010-06-02T11:25:00.000+02:002010-06-02T11:25:39.144+02:00Richard Hadlock Remembers BeaufordRichard Hadlock is the host of San Mateo's KCSM FM radio show Annals of Jazz. He has been broadcasting jazz for more than 50 years, and is the author of Jazz Masters of the Twenties (Da Capo, 1988 [first published in 1965]). In addition, he is a professional jazz saxophonist who has appeared on dozens of albums. Hadlock studied with Sidney Bechet, Garvin Bushell, Lee Konitz, and, in Rio de About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-51460849019251136012010-05-25T13:04:00.000+02:002010-05-27T23:41:55.103+02:00A Colorful and Generous Donation!When I wrote to http://www.herbertgentry.com/ several days ago to obtain permission to use the photograph of Herb Gentry in last week's posting, little did I know that I would receive a generous outpouring of support from his widow, Mary Anne Rose!
Rose sent a return e-mail message within 24 hours, not only to tell me that I could use the photograph, but also to indicate that she wished to About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-81851695035860511832010-05-19T22:25:00.000+02:002010-05-19T22:25:27.832+02:00Herbert Gentry on BeaufordHerb Gentry (1919-2003) was one of several African-American artists who moved to Paris after World War II. He was a friend of Beauford and speaks extensively of Beauford in the interview below.
The entire text of this posting is taken from the following source, which is in the public domain:
Oral history interview with Herbert Gentry, 1991 May 23, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-78578867922578242010-05-12T12:25:00.000+02:002010-12-12T21:06:41.104+01:00Beauford's Paris Café LifeFrom the first days that Beauford arrived in Paris, he enjoyed café life. This posting presents contemporary photos of some of his favorite cafés in Montparnasse and near the Saint Germain district on the Left Bank.
Le Select
Le Select99, boulevard du Montparnasse75006 Paris© Discover Paris!
Personal communications from Burt Reinfrank and long time African-American expatriate Tannie Stovall About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-11302943608886830062010-05-06T07:41:00.000+02:002010-05-07T13:14:13.000+02:00Thanks to our Donors and New Appeal for Contributions!
Beauford Delaney (1901-1979)Self-Portrait, 1950pastel, charcoal and watercolor on paper15" x 12 1/2", signed © Estate of Beauford Delaney; Private CollectionCourtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York , NY
We have made great progress in our fundraising campaign, and I would like to thank all of you for your support thus far. At the time of this writing, we have received $5400 of our About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-44956525527687756622010-04-29T04:48:00.000+02:002010-12-12T20:59:46.695+01:00"You've Got the Eye"In a recent posting of an anecdote about Beauford, Burt Reinfrank indicated that Beauford would frequently say to Burt, "You've got the eye."
While this may have been true in the context that Beauford was speaking—Burt could easily distinguish original Delaneys from copies or fraudulent pieces)—in fact, it is Beauford who “had the eye.” Whether or not he knew it consciously, we may never know. About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-73022924403853523322010-04-23T02:44:00.000+02:002010-06-12T08:54:54.238+02:00Beauford and the Civil Rights MovementThis month, we commemorate the forty-second anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King was a well-respected figure in France as leader of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. Two years ago, to mark the fortieth anniversary of his death, the city of Paris named a park in his honor.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Photo from the collection of the Library of Congress
NumerousAbout Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-8418211889948695572010-04-13T09:19:00.000+02:002010-04-13T09:19:18.016+02:00Remembrances of Beauford DelaneyAn Anecdote by Burton Reinfrank
When I visited Beauford, we usually discussed art: the latest gallery shows, the State-sponsored shows at the national museums, etc. One comment Beauford often made to me during these discussions was "You've got the eye." I sometimes still hear Beauford's low, resonant voice saying it today.
We were discussing gallery shows and Beauford said "Have you been by About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-10277791166442890782010-04-06T13:31:00.000+02:002010-04-06T13:31:08.365+02:00U.S. Ambassador Rivkin Gives Us His Support!Shortly after I founded Les Amis de Beauford Delaney, I contacted the Cultural Affairs office of the U.S. Embassy in Paris to inform them of our project and to see what help they could provide. I spoke with Assistant Cultural Affairs officer Jennifer Bullock, who has been my contact, and a great ally, ever since.
One of the things that we discussed was whether or not Les Amis would be able to About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-312254923735083242010-04-01T16:54:00.000+02:002010-04-01T17:05:01.313+02:00Richard A. Long and Beauford DelaneyRichard A. Long is Atticus Haygood Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies, Emeritus, at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. He was a personal friend of Beauford, and contributed to the birthday tribute that was posted on this blog on 30 December 2009. Here, in his words, is the story of his relationship with Beauford:
I first became acquainted with the name and work of Beauford around 1947. HeAbout Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-3786404713030937732010-03-26T08:25:00.000+01:002010-03-26T08:25:18.366+01:0026 March 2010Beauford died 31 years ago today. His funeral was held at the American Church on April 6, 1979, and his body was laid to rest in an unmarked grave in Division 86 at Thiais Cemetery, just south of Paris.
American Church in Paris© Discover Paris!
For those who are visiting the blog for the first time, note that the primary mission of Les Amis de Beauford Delaney is to place a permanent market atAbout Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-48554906791370589102010-03-17T17:47:00.000+01:002010-04-21T16:08:19.060+02:00Burt and Pat Reinfrank Remember BeaufordBurt Reinfrank was one of Beauford’s friends from the Paris years. Burt was a member of the panel of the trustees that was accorded responsibility for Beauford’s affairs when he was institutionalized at Sainte-Anne’s Hospital during the final years of his life. I was privileged to interview Burt and Pat recently, and thrilled to learn much about Beauford and his work that has never found its way About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-51326882985728083602010-03-09T12:52:00.000+01:002010-04-21T16:11:43.745+02:00Cid Corman’s Poetic Tribute to BeaufordCid Corman (1924-2004) was a prolific poet, and founder of the journal Origin and Origin Press. He began improvising poetry in 1954 on his first trip to France as a Fulbright scholar, and is now considered by many to be the father of oral poetry. In a 2003 interview, he stated that “oral poetry is so completely different from written work that you can't write it down on the page. And it's not a About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-22160183100738004022010-03-04T06:57:00.000+01:002010-03-04T06:57:41.784+01:00Beauford's Makonde Figure at the Armory Show Modern in NYCThe Michael Rosenfeld Gallery is exhibiting Beauford's Makonde Figure, a signed and dated painting of an African sculpture, among numerous other works at the Armory Show Modern in Manhattan. Dates and times are as follows:
Thursday, March 4 - Noon to 8 PM
Friday, March 5 - Noon to 8 PM
Saturday, March 6 - Noon to 8 PM
Sunday, March 7 - Noon to 7 PM
The Armory Show Modern is being held at About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-45292609011200113432010-03-02T12:11:00.000+01:002010-03-02T12:13:17.306+01:00Beauford and the Michael Rosenfeld GalleryThe Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, located at 24 West 57 Street, opened its doors in Manhattan in 1989. It acquired its first Beauford Delaney painting – an untitled portrait – soon afterward, and has been a champion of Beauford’s work ever since. To date, the gallery has mounted twenty-five expositions that have included paintings by Beauford, including two solo expositions of selected abstract About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-91769048386722089442010-02-24T08:05:00.000+01:002010-04-21T16:10:02.167+02:00Beauford: Black Man and PainterWhen Beauford’s friends and I were deciding upon the inscription for his tombstone, a suggestion was made to refer to him as an African-American painter. This idea was quickly rejected, however, when one of our group reminded us that Beauford did not wish to be remembered as black painter (or even as an American painter) because it placed him in a subcategory.
The following excerpt from a letterAbout Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-60570188725572624522010-02-16T13:39:00.000+01:002010-02-16T13:39:23.270+01:00Presenting BeaufordI am pleased to announce that I will speak at two events in Paris during Black History Month in honor of Beauford and in support of the gravesite project.
The name of my presentation is “Beauford Delaney: From Paris to Beyond.” In it, I will give a brief overview of Beauford’s life, explain how I became involved in the story of his gravesite, and then present images and commentary on his life inAbout Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-65982383321745037272010-02-10T21:48:00.000+01:002010-02-10T21:48:49.419+01:00Beauford's Eternal Home - Thiais CemeteryThe Parisian Cemetery of Thiais is located in the town of Thiais, which is 10.3 km (6.4 miles) south of Paris. It is the second largest cemetery in the Paris area, and is the most recently opened (1929). Easily reached by public transportation (metro, RER, bus), it has been Beauford’s resting place since 1979.
Avenue de l'OuestThiais Cemetery© Discover Paris!
The cemetery extends over 103.36 About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-3601731215711870782010-02-05T06:35:00.000+01:002010-02-05T12:24:12.585+01:00Beauford's Tombstone: Call for DonationsWe have chosen a simple, yet elegant monument to place at Beauford’s gravesite. It consists of a Tarn granite slab that will cover the full length of the tomb. There will be no additional headstone for the monument because of economic concerns. (A full-length slab with a headstone is the norm in France, whereas in the U.S., we generally only erect a headstone.) A photograph of Beauford will be About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-59380381948793938302010-01-27T10:17:00.000+01:002010-01-29T07:11:16.705+01:00Beauford and the Briet BrothersPhilippe Briet (1959-1997) was a French gallery owner and publisher who was passionate about the work of Beauford Delaney. His brother Sylvain shares that passion to this day. Sylvain Briet graciously consented to speak with me about the work that he and Philippe undertook during the late 1980s through the mid 1990s to lift Beauford’s works from obscurity and promote them. (He also contributed About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-36994360578738229482010-01-20T09:46:00.000+01:002010-12-12T20:55:32.269+01:00Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford DelaneyDavid Leeming’s Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney is the only comprehensive biography of Beauford ever published. The author’s preface indicates that he knew Beauford personally, and the tone of the entire book indicates that he was fond of the enigmatic artist.
Leeming presents the biography geographically as well as chronologically. Thus there is emphasis on where events take place About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8576770956431725159.post-33381593421439002102010-01-13T08:59:00.000+01:002010-04-21T16:15:15.698+02:00Beauford at Galerie Darthea SpeyerDarthea Speyer is an extraordinary woman whose passion and vision changed the landscape of Paris’ art scene. She worked as exhibit officer for the United States Information Services at the American Embassy and helped to found the American Cultural Center in the rue de Dragon. Subsequently, during the midst of the May 1968 riots, she established an art gallery in the heart of Saint-Germain des About Beauford Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819799928238815197noreply@blogger.com0