The Delaney Museum at Beck Needs You

Several days ago, Beck Cultural Exchange Center president Reneé Kesler gave a poignant interview to the Knoxville News Sentinel.

She explained that progress on the renovation of the Delaney family home, which is adjacent to the Beck Cultural Exchange Center and destined to become the Delaney Museum at Beck, has been much delayed due to skyrocketing expenses ...

... and has kicked off a new round of fundraising to bring in the additional $2.3 million required to complete the project.

Les Amis has written about the Delaney Museum at Beck a few times:

Groundbreaking for the Delaney Museum at Beck

The Delaney Museum at Beck: Groundbreaking Ceremony Scheduled for August 30

The Art of Delaney: Redeeming, Reconciling, and Healing

The Wells International Foundation, the U.S. nonprofit organization that mounted the Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color exhibition in Paris in collaboration with Les Amis in 2016, looks forward to hosting events that focus on Beauford's artistic practice as a tool for combatting his mental instability in Knoxville soon after the museum's opening.

The new projected opening date is May 15, 2025.

To support the fundraising campaign for the Delaney Museum at Beck, click HERE.

Living an Inner Life and Learning

"I work and live an inner life and learn."

Biographer David Leeming quotes Beauford as saying this in a letter to Larry Wallrich that he dated February 2, 1957.

Upon reading this, I decided to look for works by Beauford that are dated 1957.

I found surprisingly few of them.

Monique and Beauford's Untitled
(1957) Oil on canvas
114,2 x 162 cm / 44.9 x 63.8 in
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Photo © Discover Paris!

James Baldwin
(c. 1957) Oil on canvas board
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

What was Beauford living and learning at this period of his life?

By early 1957, he had lived a year at the Clamart studio. During this time, he "returned seriously to portrait painting" and began working with Paul Facchetti and Darthea Speyer to sell his art.

He sent paintings to be shown at the First New York Exposition of Progress - an event that touted the progress of the Negro - at the Wanamaker Building in Manhattan, contributed works to a group show for "Abstract American" artists at the Galerie Arnaud, and had his first solo exhibition at the Galerie Prisme.

First New York Exposition of Progress
Illustrated double-sided flier (recto)
Fair use claim

To combat depression, he read Buddhist writings, enjoyed the company of friends, and painted.

A "New" Beauford Delaney Urban Landscape Revealed

I was absolutely delighted to read an article entitled "A painting’s long and personal journey" about the Portland Art Museum's recent acquisition of a Beauford Delaney work.

An image of a magnificent urban landscape is the first thing you see after reading the article's lengthy subtitle: "How Beauford Delaney’s Twilight Street got from 119 Waverly Place in New York’s Greenwich Village to the studio of art conservator Nina Olsson to the Portland Art Museum's walls."

Twilight Street
(1946) Oil and mixed media on masonite
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

Can Fire in the Park, which is arguably Beauford's most famous urban landscape, was also created in 1946.

Can Fire in the Park
(1946) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

He created one of his Greene Street paintings that year as well.

Greene Street
(1946) Oil on canvas
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

Martha Ullman West, daughter of painter Allen Ullman, penned this personal piece about how her father and Beauford were friends and how she knew Beauford as a child. She recounts a story about how Beauford, who was always virtually penniless, gave her a quarter to purchase a book she wanted.

West goes on to talk relay additional personal anecdotes about her father and Beauford before launching into the topic of how Twilight Street made its way into the collection of the Portland Art Museum. This part of the article presents intricate detail about the restoration of the painting and the woman who restored it.

It also presents several images that illustrate this work.

Finally, the article indicates that Twilight Street will be on display in the Throughlines exhibition at the museum from February 8 through November 1, 2024.

Read "A painting’s long and personal journey" HERE.

Case Antiques Sold Two Beauford Delaney Works

Case Auctions sold both Beauford Delaney works offered during its Fine Arts, Antiques, and Jewelry auction on January 27.

Untitled (Ibiza) (Lot 128) went for $10,980.00, including a 22% buyer's premium.

Lot 128: Untitled (Ibiza)
(1956) gouache and watercolor
18" H x 11 7/8" W
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

The estimated sale price was $12,000 - $14,000.

.

Yellow Abstraction
(Lot 129) sold for $24,400.00, including a 22% buyer's premium.

Lot 129: Yellow Abstraction
(1961) gouache on paper
10 1/2" H x 8" W
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

The estimated sale price was $10,000 - $12,000.

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For more information about the auction, click HERE.