The California African American Museum presents an exhibition of the Alitash Kebede collection, which runs through September 2, 2007. On Saturday, July 28, Living Through Art will feature a discussion between Jill Moniz and Alitash Kebede.

Saturday, July 28, 2007
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
California African American Museum
600 State Drive
Exposition Park
Los Angeles, CA 90037

Special invitation from Alitash Kebede to see her exhibition at CAAM!

Alitash Kebede's collection is a powerful exhibition of over 100 works that documents Kebede's friendships, influences, politics and finally, her own identity represented through her choices as collector.  Kebede is Ethiopian and a naturalized American citizen.  The show honors Skunder Boghossian, Kebede's first artistic inspiration, covers major African American artists she came to know and collect and ends with her return to contemporary African artists as her focus.  Artists represented in Alitash Kebede's collection include Richard Mayhew, Betye, Allison and Lezley Saar, Jacob Lawrence, James Vander Zee, Bob Thompson and Todd Gray.

Alitash Kebede began working as a private art dealer in 1984, and in 2004 celebrated the 20th anniversary of her business, The Alitash Kebede Gallery, located in Los Angeles at the ART 170 building on La Brea Avenue.  The gallery presents changing exhibitions by modern and contemporary international artists, with a specialization in the work of African and African American artists, and offers a selection of 20th Century masterworks for sale.  For more info, visit www.alitashkgallery.com

To view images in the California African American Museum exhibition, visit http://www.caamuseum.org/ce_2.htm

And, join Alitash Kebede for a discussion of the exhibition, her life, and more:

Sat., July 28, 1 - 3 PM  -- Living Through Art. Jill Moniz, CAAM Visual Arts curator, and Alitash Kebede discuss Kebede's life, politics and collecting.
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Also at CAAM this summer -- Target Sundays at CAAM – Telling our stories, experiencing our art & sharing our history!

Through the eyes and voices of traditional and contemporary artists, community leaders, cultural historians, activists, and educators, this once-a-month Sunday cultural experience celebrates the diverse influences and achievements of art and culture from the African American Diaspora.

Featured during the 2007 season will be "The Community World Drum Project - A Year-Long Community Art Project."   Featured artist, the talented drummer Marcus Miller, will lead a monthly interactive workshop introducing participants to the role and history of the drum within cultures around the world.

Call the Target Sunday @ CAAM hotline 213.744.2132 for updates.

Sunday, July 1, 2007, 11 AM - 5 PM   --  Hot Fun in the Summertime!
Hear some great music from the talented young performer Olivia Clark and the up and coming band Sovory. You can also tour the new exhibits Lasting Foundations: The Art of Architecture in Africa and Between Two Worlds: The Alitash Kebede Collection and grab a bite to eat at one of the great food vendors out on the CAAM Plaza!

Museum opens at 11am -- Live program begins at 1pm
And remember, this event is FREE! Parking is at 39th and Figueroa Streets and is $6 per vehicle.

Other CAAM Events this Summer!

Sat., July 14  -  1 PM --  Exterior Expression
Surface decoration reflects Africa's varies cultural landscape.  Artist Fernando Nargas directs you as you adorn a South African abode.  Ages 9 and up.

Sat., July 14  --  1 - 3 PM  --  Conversations at CAAM with John Outterbridge
John Outterbridge, artist, teacher, and arts administrator will be interviewed by Mark Steven Greenfield.

Sat., July 21  --  1 - 3 PM  --  Fantastic Creatures
Make a fantastic creature from cut out shapes and write a story about it.  A CAAM Gallery Educator provides the inspiration.  Ages 10 and up.

Sun., August 12 1 - 3 PM  --  In Whose Hands?
Jill Moniz and Steven Nelson, Assistant Professor of Art History at UCLA, discuss the whereabouts of pillaged and contemporary African art.  Who owns it, where is it displayed, and why is so much of Africa's art retained outside the continent?

Sat., August 18 - 1 - 3 PM  --  Basics of Watercolor Painting
Participants learn techniques such as wet-into-wet blending to create an original watercolor.  Maybe somewhere within you lurks the talent of Richard Mayhew, Romare Bearden or Richard Yard, artists featured in Between Two Worlds.  Guest instructor, Milton Loupe.  Registrants must be available for the entire class.  To reserve: 213-744-2024.  Ages 10 and up.

Current Exhibitions at CAAM:

Lasting Foundations: The Art of Architecture in Africa  --  now through August 19, 2007
Over 60 works of art and 50 photographs surveying the innovative and varied architecture used in African homes, palaces, and public places.  Lasting Foundations explores the symbolic and aesthetic significance of the sculpture and paintings applied to buildings, and celebrates architecture that is practical and beautiful, adapted to the landscape, and imbued with symbolic significance. The exhibit was organized by the Museum for African Art, New York, with support from Merrill Lynch.

Permanent Exhibits  --  African American Journey West: Permanent Collection
The California African American Museum is forging a new trail documenting the African American contribution to the settlement of the West. It's a pioneering effort. The exhibition chronicles the African American journey from the west coast of Africa to the west coast of America. It examines artifacts from West Africa that demonstrate the art, history and culture of the regions; African Americans' Southern legacy, the Great Migration West and provides insights into the unique art and cultural contributions that African Americans made in opening the Western frontier.

Museum hours: Open Tue through Sat from 10am to 5pm; Sunday from 11am to 5pm.

Cost : Free and open to the public; parking is available for $6 at 39th and Figueroa (Exhibition Park)

www.caamuseum.org

Sponsor(s): The California African American Museum. Information about non-ASC events is posted for informational purposes and does not necessarily reflect opinions of or endorsements by African Studies personnel.