‘Young, Gifted and Black’ Showcases Thought-Provoking Collection

“A Mother Who Had No Mother” by Chiffon Thomas expresses gratitude for her mother’s strength and guidance. (Photo Credit: July Torres)

By July Torres

Featured at Lehman, “Young, Gifted and Black: The Lumpkin-Boccuzzi Family Collection of Contemporary Art” is part of a traveling exhibition that sheds light on the work produced by over 40 artists of African descent and is drawn exclusively from the private Bernard I. Lumpkin and Carmine D. Boccuzzi collection. Lehman’s presentation of the exhibit is an opportunity for black artists to display their contemporary art, giving visibility to otherwise underrepresented, talented artists and their work.

While some pieces in the collection have been lent to museums for many years, “Young, Gifted and Black” is the first stand-alone public exhibition where selected artworks are displayed for public consumption. Lumpkin began his collection over 10 years ago, and now owns nearly 500 works of art, which are split between his home and his husband’s law firm.

The death of his father prompted Lumpkin to learn more about his African heritage and to begin his collection of black art he told ARTnews.

“Though I support artists of all ages and backgrounds through my service, I choose to live with artists of color because I want people to know—when they meet me or come to my home—my background,” Lumpkin said.

The works of art that hang on the wall of the exhibition are instantly thought-provoking. Visitors can sense at first glance that there’s more than meets the eye, but what does meet the eye is aesthetically pleasing. The art, however, is elevated further when the work is analyzed and the stories it possesses are unveiled.

“Too White To Be Black” by Bethany Collins showcases the complexity of racial identity. (Photo Credit: July Torres)

“Too White to Be Black” by Bethany Collins resembles a black classroom chalkboard that stands out and can be easily spotted from a distance. A piece with subtle meaning, it is open to different interpretations. There is a prominent blackness that represents how she identifies as a black woman. There is white writing of words that represents her other race. The words are either faded or erased almost entirely, expressing confusion, which symbolizes Collins’ difficulty with her identity as a mixed-race person.

In Chiffon Thomas’ piece titled “A Mother Who Had No Mother,” the artist emphasizes the importance of black mothers and motherhood. The inspiration behind Thomas’ work is her mother, who guided her to be who she is today; the artwork depicts a woman sitting on a soft-pink chair, which appears to be floating, giving the impression that she thinks highly of the woman. There is a hollow cutout of a child on her lap, as if intentionally averting attention from it, making her mother the sole focus of her art.

Thomas expressed appreciation for her mother’s supportive role, despite lacking support of her own by making her the focus of the artwork. This piece successfully sets her mother as the cornerstone by putting her on a pedestal, accurately exuding a tender and admiring feeling.

“Sleep: Deux Femmes Noires” by Mickalene Thomas depicts the normalization of homosexual love. (Photo Credit: July Torres)

While the exhibition concentrates on black artists, much of it also focuses on gender and sexuality.

Mickalene Thomas,’ “Sleep: Deux Femmes Noires” centers homosexual love by showcasing two naked black women sleeping together in a bed, while different photographs’ cutouts compose the outside spacious, grassy setting. This conveys a feeling of peace, freedom, and power. The collage of photos seemingly puts together what was once separate: lesbianism, sexual agency and normalization.

The “Young, Gifted and Black” exhibition at Lehman will run from Feb. 8 until May 2.