FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 24, 2004
ExhibitsUSA Announces
Opening of
Recovered Views: African American Portraits, 1912–1925
Recovered Views: African American Portraits, 1912–1925, an extraordinary exhibition of 40 digital prints from vintage photographs and glass negatives, opened February 3, 2004 at Roosevelt University in Chicago, Illinois.
Recovered Views features black-and-white portraits attributed
to John Johnson, an African American photographer who lived and worked
in Lincoln, Nebr., in the early part of the 20th century. These portraits
are more than just stunning images; they document life in a vibrant black
community in a small Midwestern city, a society rarely depicted in any
medium.
The story of how these photographs came to light is almost as fascinating
as the images themselves. In the spring of 1999, local researchers learned
of a group of glass-plate negatives held by a prominent black family in
Lincoln. It was immediately obvious from both the unique subject matter
of the negatives and their exceptional artistic quality that this constituted
an important find. Local and national publicity about the discovery led
to another huge cache of negatives by the same artist. Over 300 negatives
have surfaced so far.
John Johnson was the son of a black Civil War veteran and a lifelong resident
of Lincoln. Community elders remember him traveling through Lincoln by
horse and buggy with camera and tripod, taking photographs. As a photographer,
he was unquestionably skilled: thorough understanding of pictorial composition
is evident throughout the exhibition. The photographs give evidence of
a striking ability to make his subjects feel at ease in front of the camera.
This was a period of great racial tension in Lincoln; nevertheless, a
sense of calm and dignity permeates the subjects.
Recovered Views offers an opportunity to see selections from one
of the most important American artistic and historical discoveries of
recent years. After closing in Chicago on April 3, the exhibition will
travel to the Elkhorn Valley Museum in Norfolk, Neb., and at least eleven
subsequent venues before closing in 2008. A current schedule, which is
subject to change, is provided below.
Recovered Views is curated by John E. Carter, Special Projects
Coordinator at the Nebraska State Historical Society in Lincoln. The exhibition
is organized by the Nebraska State Historical Society and toured by ExhibitsUSA.
The exhibition includes a catalog produced by the Nebraska State Historical
Society, and a DVD of oral history interviews conducted by an intern of
the Lincoln/Lancaster County Planning Department.
The purpose of ExhibitsUSA is to create access to an array of arts and
humanities exhibitions, nurture the development and understanding of diverse
art forms and cultures, and encourage the expanding depth and breadth
of cultural life in local communities. ExhibitsUSA is a national division
of Mid-America Arts Alliance, a private, nonprofit organization founded
in 1972.
Recovered Views: African-American Portraits, 1912-1925
Touring 2/3/2004 through 1/19/2008 by ExhibitsUSA, a division of Mid-America
Arts Alliance
February 03–April 30, 2004
Roosevelt University
Chicago, Illinois
May 15–June 20, 2004
Elkhorn Valley Museum
Norfolk, Nebraska
July 05–August 16, 2004
Black World History Museum
St Louis, Missouri
September 01–October 05, 2004
African American Museum and Library
Oakland, California
October 19, 2004–January 16, 2005
Museum of Nebraska Art
Kearney, Nebraska
February 03–March 10, 2005
Hastings College
Hastings, Nebraska
March 25–April 30, 2005
Garland County Library
Hot Springs, Arkansas
May 15–August 16, 2005
de Saisset Museum
Santa Clara, California
September 01–November 30, 2005
Alexandria Black Historical Research Center
Alexandria, Virginia
December 15, 2005–March 10, 2006
Clark County Heritage Museum
Henderson, Nevada
March 25–April 30, 2006
Tulsa Community College SE Campus
Tulsa, Oklahoma
May 15–August 16, 2006
Bell County Museum
Belton, Texas
February 03–March 10, 2007
Mid South Community College
West Memphis, Arkansas
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