Martin Luther King Jr. in Art and Memory
Revisiting a 40-year-old mural of the civil rights leader, John Yau on the paintings of John Wilson, and a perspective from a former educator at the California College of the Arts.
Good morning. Like the freedoms we often take for granted, Martin Luther King Jr. Day was hard-won. The designation of the third Monday in January as an official holiday commemorating the legacy of this momentous civil rights leader came after a 15-year battle waged by activists and grassroots groups who, despite pushback from Congress, refused to back down. They knew that there was something powerful about coming together to reflect on the lessons Dr. King left us, and that inscribing a dedicated day in the federal calendar was a way of agreeing, collectively, that he cannot be forgotten.
Today, Hyperallergic celebrates Dr. King's outsized contributions as well as the labor and perseverance of those who ensured his remembrance. Writer Nicole L. Schaller revisits Don Miller's 56-by-7-foot mural at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, DC, on the occasion of the work's 40th anniversary, and speaks to local public artists for whom the piece continues to resonate. Here in NYC, Staff Writer Isa Farfan rounds up local cultural events marking the holiday. My favorite: a fabric collage workshop in honor of King and Gee's Bend quilters at Wave Hill.
— Valentina Di Liscia, senior editor
40 Years On, DC Artists Revisit Don Miller's MLK Mural
Since 1986, the 56-foot painting at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library has served as a visual portal into the civil rights leader’s life and legacy. | Nicole L. Schaller
Five Art and Museum Events for MLK Day in NYC
Special collection tours at the Studio Museum in Harlem, Mayor Zohran Mamdani in a live reading of one of King's sermons, and other programs. | Isa Farfan
We’ve Been at the Tapestry Studio Since the 90s
This exhibition at Salt explores the Tapestry Studio’s approach to art education and production.
From Our Critics
John Wilson’s Relentlessly Humane Vision of Black Life
He portrayed the gamut of the Black experience, making visible a sense of deep isolation as well as pride, family, and community. | John Yau
A View From San Francisco
San Francisco's Tech Billionaires Don't Care About Your Art School
News of the abrupt closure of the California College of the Arts (CCA) and its acquisition by Vanderbilt University sent shockwaves through the Bay Area community. But we shouldn't be surprised that San Francisco's tech titans didn't step in to save it, writes Christian L. Frock:
The loss of CCA should be considered in relation to staggering wealth disparities and lack of social investment, primarily perpetuated by the technology sector, much of which has tight alliances with today’s leadership in Washington, DC. The indifference of wealth that has long-vexed San Francisco is now a systemic threat to the national ecosystem.
What to See During San Francisco Art Week
Despite recent closures in San Francisco’s art world, there's been a mushrooming of alternative spaces, side hustles, home galleries, and nonprofits. Veteran Bay Area curator and writer Natasha Boas recommends the best shows to see during this year's San Francisco Art Week.
Member Comment
Jozanne Rabyor on "How to Protect Your Right to Culture" by Anna Kornbluh:
From the Archive
Bringing the FBI's War on Martin Luther King Jr. to Light
Filmmaker Sam Pollard talks to Hyperallergic about his documentary MLK/FBI, how history repeats, and how authorities treat left- and right-wing protests differently. | Dan Schindel
