Gateways: African American Art from the Key Collection
- Anne Noland Edwards Gallery
About the exhibition
Gateways: African American Art from the Key Collection presents 90 works of art in varied media from the collection of Eric Key, a collector with decades of deep involvement with the art world, particularly its ever-evolving relationship with African American artists. Key began collecting African American art in the early nineties, long before the arts industry and society at large began to grant these artists the belated recognition they enjoy today. Over the years, he has amassed an impressive collection of African American art, with the dual purpose of exploring his own identity as a Black man in America while providing financial support to individual artists. His intent has always been to help preserve America’s Black experience in the arts, and to benefit the many communities of which he has been a part—opening gateways for artists, African Americans, and conversations about race, identity, and America.
Spanning over 125 years of art making, Gateways features pieces by Henry O. Tanner, Sam Gilliam, Elizabeth Catlett, and Jacob Lawrence, among many other leading African American artists.
Born in 1957 in Smithfield, Virginia, Eric Key is an arts administrator, curator, appraiser, and collector who—by his own admission—"can't draw a straight line." Currently director of the Arts Program at University of Maryland Global Campus, he came to UMGC in 2008 after serving for more than a decade as executive director of the Kansas African American Museum (Wichita, KS). He also served as director of programs for the Black Academy of Arts and Letters, curator for the African American Museum Dallas, and assistant curator of African American history at Old City Park, all in Dallas, TX.
Gateways: African American Art from the Key Collection is organized and toured by International Arts & Artists.
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5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Conversation on Collecting: An Evening with Eric Key
Presented in conjunction with Gateways: African American Art from the Key Collection, this program will feature Eric Key in conversation, sharing his insights on his path through the world of art as a curator, collector, and administrator. A native of Smithfield, VA, and a recipient of multiple degrees from Hampton University, Key's collecting is driven by a desire to preserve America’s Black experience in the arts, and to benefit the many communities of which he has been a part.
Gateways: African American Art from the Key Collection is organized and toured by International Arts & Artists.
This event is free and open to the public.
