Mosaic Templars Cultural Center Opens New Exhibit to Mark Milestone Anniversary

The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center (MTCC) is kicking off its 10th anniversary festivities with a brand new exhibit titled “Respect: Celebrating 50 years of AfriCOBRA.” 

The exhibit, which includes the debut of a mixed-media art piece by all nine current members of AfriCOBRA commissioned by the museum for its anniversary, also features a tribute to Arkansas native and cofounder of AfriCOBRA Jeff Donaldson.

AfriCOBRA is the African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists. The collective formed in 1968 to “define and identify a uniquely black aesthetic in visual arts that reflected shared needs, aspirations and experiences of black American artists.” Today the collective continues “to embody the shared visual language for positive revolutionary roles.”

“Respect: Celebrating 50 years of AfriCOBRA” marks the beginning of a year-long celebration for the MTCC and will be on display through Dec. 2.

To learn more, visit the MTCC website and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

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AfriCOBRA artist spotlight: James Phillips Noted art historian Dr. Rosalind Jeffries describes James Phillips as a “master of pure color.” Phillips developed his own personal style of painting, influenced by Ademola Olugebefola and other contemporary African artists and 20th century African American artists. He incorporated African patterns and designs throughout his compositions, which included foreground and background to create one design. He joined AfriCOBRA in 1973. Phillips has created works for public art projects for the city of Baltimore; Howard University in Washington, D.C.; the Department of Parks in New York City; and the transit system for San Francisco, California. (Information from: http://www.jamesphillips-artist.com/About_Me.html) #AuthenticArkansas #Arkansas #Art #BlackArt

A post shared by Mosaic Templars Cultural Ctr. (@mosaictemplarscenter) on Sep 10, 2018 at 9:50am PDT