Creative Capital Celebrates Black History Month
A Letter from Suzy Delvalle:
History is all around us, and as many of us have witnessed recently in the current political atmosphere, oppression continues to be an inextricable part of our shared American experience. February is a time where, as a country, we look at the histories of Black Americans who have shaped the U.S. into what it is today, typically without deserved recognition. It’s important to understand that being aware of oppression doesn’t start and end with Black History Month. Awareness is a muscle that must be toned. In January, I signed up for the gym as a New Year’s resolution. Now, February is my workout for active resistance against oppression!
A timeline of black artists who received grants in the early stage of Creative Capital’s history. Click here to view it in a full screen.
Staff Recommendations: Erica Hunt
“Poetry seemed like a distant planet reserved for the classic romantics, serious moody types or slam crowd, all circling in their own orbits and time zones. Discovering “Arcade” and “Notes on Oppositional Poetics” last fall was one of the major highlights of a really challenging year and her writing bridges increasing gaps. Erica Hunt’s poetry and essays are illuminating and introspective; she invites you in to take a good, hard look inside and then asks the reader to turn the same consideration to the surrounding world. The connections between visual images, music and metaphor are deeply embedded, taking her poetry to a higher level. Hunt’s work is just as timely now as it was then, but better yet, she’s still here, writing and reading, teaching and being a full woman. Seeing her read and converse with her at City College was an honor and inspiration. She’s brilliant!”
– Janelle Poe
Finance Associate
Staff Recommendations: Pure Hell
“A group who many cite as the first African-American punk rock band, including the legendary Bad Brains, was Pure Hell. On the heels of the glam-rock era, Pure Hell opened for punk icons The Sex Pistols during the early days of the Chelsea scene. Their first major release was a potent cover track of Nancy Sinatra’s ‘These Boots Are Made For Walking.’ Pure Hell deserves credit as cultural trailblazers in a music style that is often, sadly, whitewashed amongst its fan base. At their core, the band members of Pure Hell illustrated defining characteristics of punk rock artists: deliberate, wild, woke for the times, with an unabashed spirit to be themselves, and on their own terms.”
– Devon Scalisi
Web Manager
| Staff Recommendations: Emma Amos “Emma Amos was a professor at Mason Gross School of the Arts when I was a grad student there in 2005. I was inspired both by her work and her discussions about art history. She was an eye opening teacher. You can read her artist statement and see more images of her work here.” – Julie Evanoff Technical and Information Manager Arts Writers Grant Program Staff Recommendations: Washington Phillips |
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