Black Art In America Leads 15 Work Gift to Clark Atlanta University Art Museum
Shake it till you don't care by Michael Ellison
In a powerful act of cultural stewardship and legacy building, Black Art In America (BAIA), together with a distinguished group of contemporary artists, has donated a collection of 15 artworks to the Clark Atlanta University Art Museum (CAUAM), one of the nation’s most important repositories of African American art.
The gift includes nine works from the BAIA collection, along with additional contributions from partnering artists. Together, the works represent a dynamic cross-section of contemporary Black artistic practice.
"Middle Passage" by Traci Mims
Artists included in the gift are Michael Ellison, Ronald Walton, Delita Martin, Stacey Brown, Paul Goodnight, Curlee Raven Holton, Robert Pruitt, Jamaal Barber, Dr. Albert J. Carter, Najee Dorsey, Percy B. Martin, Traci Mims, Jamele Wright Sr., and Cedric Michael Cox.
Spanning printmaking, painting, and mixed media, the collection reflects the depth, range, and diversity of contemporary voices shaping the current landscape of African American art.
"Diamonds Thrust" by Cedric Michael Cox
“It’s important to me that we, the artists of this time, support our HBCUs. Clark Atlanta University Art Museum’s collection is historic, and it is meaningful to be part of that legacy,” said Najee Dorsey, founder of Black Art In America, who has two works already in the museum’s collection and is contributing two additional works through this gift. “This is part of an ongoing commitment from us at BAIA to strengthen the presence of contemporary works within the museum’s holdings and ensure that future generations have access to the breadth of our visual culture.”
The Clark Atlanta University Art Museum has long been recognized for its leadership in collecting, preserving, and presenting works by artists of African descent. This latest acquisition expands that legacy while reinforcing the importance of intentional placement: ensuring that significant works enter collections where they will be preserved, studied, and exhibited for years to come.
"Sometimes Air Is Water, Sometimes Ice, Sometimes Stone" by Curlee Raven Holton
Through this collective gift, BAIA and its gallery artists reaffirm a shared mission: to document, preserve, and promote the work, lives, and contributions of artists who have shaped and continue to advance African American visual culture.
