As Black History Month comes to a close, Knoxville continues to recognize and celebrate Beauford.
Promotional image for Black & White
L to R: Beauford Delaney, Joseph Delaney, and Ruth Cobb Brice
The Museum of East Tennessee History is featuring Black & White: Knoxville in the Jim Crow Era, an exhibition that explores what life was like for African Americans in Knoxville during the Jim Crow era. This exhibition, presented as a timeline, provides historical context to the lives of local African-American artists Beauford Delaney, Joseph Delaney, and Ruth Cobb Brice. It seeks to answer what influence the city had on the early lives of these artists and whether they could succeed without leaving home.
East Tennessee History Center
© Wells International Foundation
The show highlights three African-American artists from Knoxville — Beauford, his brother Joseph, and Ruth Cobb Brice — and examines how Knoxville during the Jim Crow era shaped their lives and careers.
Entrance to Black & White exhibition
Image courtesy of the East Tennessee History Center
The exhibition includes 66 artifacts highlighting the history of race relations, African-American art, and the development of an art community in Knoxville following the Civil War. Forty-five (45) of these artifacts are on loan to the Museum of East Tennessee History from the Calvin M. McClung Historical Collection, the Beck Cultural Exchange Center, and private donors. Also featured are several videos, including "Knoxville’s Red Summer: The Riot of 1919" and "Beauford Delaney," both of which are courtesy of East Tennessee PBS and Black Appalachia; and "The Civil Rights Movement in Knoxville," courtesy of the Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound. A variety of artworks by the highlighted artists are on display as well as works from other Knoxville-based artists who influenced them.
Photo of the Delaney Family at Black & White exhibition
Image courtesy of the East Tennessee History Center
"Beauford Delaney Abroad" at Black & White exhibition
Image courtesy of the East Tennessee History Center
Black & White: Knoxville in the Jim Crow Era opened on February 14, 2020 and is on view through June 14, 2020. For more information, call (865) 215-8824, email: , or visit www.easttnhistory.org.
The world premiere of ShadowLight, a Marble City Opera production that presents Beauford's life through song, took place at the Beck Cultural Center on Friday, February 28.
Starring Brandon J. Gibson as Beauford and Vincent Davis as James Baldwin, it sold out weeks in advance.
ShadowLight rehearsal - Brandon J. Gibson as Beauford
Image courtesy of Marble City Opera
ShadowLight rehearsal - Vincent Davis as James Baldwin
Image courtesy of Marble City Opera
Beauford's tormenting inner voices are being sung by Regan Bisch, Joshua Allen, and Breyon Ewing. Brian Holman is conducting the orchestra.
ShadowLight rehearsal - Beauford taunted by his voices
L to R: Joshua Allen, Breyon Ewing, Regan Bisch
Image courtesy of Marble City Opera
I had the pleasure of meeting Gibson for the first time during my recent visit to Knoxville for the opening of the Through the Unusual Door exhibition at the Knoxville Museum of Art.
L to R: Marble City Opera artistic director Kathryn Frady,
Monique Y. Wells, and Brandon J. Gibson
ShadowLight was written by Larry Delinger (music) and Emily Anderson (libretto) and is directed by James Marvel and Kathryn Frady. The show's finale will be presented at the Beck Cultural Center this evening.
To learn more about the production, click HERE.
L to R: Beauford Delaney, Joseph Delaney, and Ruth Cobb Brice
The Museum of East Tennessee History is featuring Black & White: Knoxville in the Jim Crow Era, an exhibition that explores what life was like for African Americans in Knoxville during the Jim Crow era. This exhibition, presented as a timeline, provides historical context to the lives of local African-American artists Beauford Delaney, Joseph Delaney, and Ruth Cobb Brice. It seeks to answer what influence the city had on the early lives of these artists and whether they could succeed without leaving home.
© Wells International Foundation
The show highlights three African-American artists from Knoxville — Beauford, his brother Joseph, and Ruth Cobb Brice — and examines how Knoxville during the Jim Crow era shaped their lives and careers.
Image courtesy of the East Tennessee History Center
The exhibition includes 66 artifacts highlighting the history of race relations, African-American art, and the development of an art community in Knoxville following the Civil War. Forty-five (45) of these artifacts are on loan to the Museum of East Tennessee History from the Calvin M. McClung Historical Collection, the Beck Cultural Exchange Center, and private donors. Also featured are several videos, including "Knoxville’s Red Summer: The Riot of 1919" and "Beauford Delaney," both of which are courtesy of East Tennessee PBS and Black Appalachia; and "The Civil Rights Movement in Knoxville," courtesy of the Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound. A variety of artworks by the highlighted artists are on display as well as works from other Knoxville-based artists who influenced them.
Image courtesy of the East Tennessee History Center
Image courtesy of the East Tennessee History Center
Black & White: Knoxville in the Jim Crow Era opened on February 14, 2020 and is on view through June 14, 2020. For more information, call (865) 215-8824, email: , or visit www.easttnhistory.org.
The world premiere of ShadowLight, a Marble City Opera production that presents Beauford's life through song, took place at the Beck Cultural Center on Friday, February 28.
Starring Brandon J. Gibson as Beauford and Vincent Davis as James Baldwin, it sold out weeks in advance.
Image courtesy of Marble City Opera
Image courtesy of Marble City Opera
Beauford's tormenting inner voices are being sung by Regan Bisch, Joshua Allen, and Breyon Ewing. Brian Holman is conducting the orchestra.
L to R: Joshua Allen, Breyon Ewing, Regan Bisch
Image courtesy of Marble City Opera
I had the pleasure of meeting Gibson for the first time during my recent visit to Knoxville for the opening of the Through the Unusual Door exhibition at the Knoxville Museum of Art.
Monique Y. Wells, and Brandon J. Gibson
ShadowLight was written by Larry Delinger (music) and Emily Anderson (libretto) and is directed by James Marvel and Kathryn Frady. The show's finale will be presented at the Beck Cultural Center this evening.
To learn more about the production, click HERE.
