DALLAS – On September 25, the Dallas Museum of Art celebrates the public opening of its new third-floor Arts of Africa gallery, which now allows visitors to experience the Museum’s collection through a thematic approach in a brighter, more inviting environment. The new gallery space, the first major redesign in nearly 20 years, features more than 170 works from the Museum’s much-admired African art collection. The project was directed by Roslyn Adele Walker, Ph.D., Senior Curator of the Arts of Africa, the Americas, and the Pacific and The Margaret McDermott Curator of African Art.
The DMA was an early advocate for the inclusion of African art in American art museums, and the Museum’s dedication to the field has set precedents since the 1950s. The collection is particularly strong in art from the Songye and Luba cultures in Central Africa and the Yoruba and Edo (Benin kingdom) in West Africa. In 2009, the Dallas Museum of Art published The Arts of Africa, its first catalog of African art, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of its acclaimed collection of nearly 2,000 objects. The richly illustrated 320-page book was written by Dr. Walker.
“The opening of the new Arts of Africa gallery offers a fresh perspective on the DMA’s exemplary collection,” said Maxwell. L Anderson, The Eugene McDermott Director. “We are excited to present several works that have been recently acquired or off view for some time, and to welcome a broad public to learn about the rich heritage of sub-Saharan Africa.”
The significant reconfiguration of the galleries provides a fresh look and new takes on the collection, mainly those of the sub-Saharan cultures, allowing additional works to be placed on view. Research for the reinstallation project, which was sponsored by the Texas Fund for Curatorial Research, began in 2011 and included visits to the African galleries at various American and European museums to research their displays.
“African art serves as a cradle for humanity, and this new installation and gallery redesign showcases the visual arts of Africa in an exciting new way for our visitors, serving as an introduction to the contributions of these cultures to the greater world’s heritage culture,” stated Dr. Walker.
The new Arts of Africa gallery features well-known work from the Museum’s collection alongside recent acquisitions and works that have previously never been on view. The gallery is installed thematically in five sections, rather than the previous geographical display. Representing and revealing the extraordinary diversity of sub-Saharan cultures and visual traditions, these artworks are arranged according to the themes of governance, the cycle of life, decorative arts and design, trade, and masking.
On Wednesday, September 30, Dr. Walker will lead a gallery talk on the reinstallation of the Arts of Africa gallery at 12:15 p.m. Visit DMA.org for information regarding programs related to the works on view in the Arts of Africa gallery.
About the Dallas Museum of Art
Established in 1903, the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) is among the 10 largest art museums in the country and is distinguished by its commitment to research, innovation, and public engagement. At the heart of the Museum and its programs is its global collection, which encompasses more than 23,000 works and spans 5,000 years of history, representing a full range of world cultures. Located in the nation’s largest arts district, the Museum acts as a catalyst for community creativity, engaging people of all ages and backgrounds with a diverse spectrum of programming, from exhibitions and lectures to concerts, literary events, and dramatic and dance presentations. Since the Museum’s return to free general admission in 2013, the DMA has welcomed more than two million visitors, and enrolled more than 100,000 people in DMA Friends, a free program available to anyone who wishes to join focused on active engagement with the Museum. For more information, visit DMA.org.
The Dallas Museum of Art is supported, in part, by the generosity of DMA Members and donors, the citizens of Dallas through the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs, and the Texas Commission on the Arts.