Houston Museum of African American Culture

Thank you for your support

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As we bring a close to a really challenging 2023, we are grateful for the support of our friends of art and culture like you.

Today, we ask you to consider making a fully tax-deductible donation to the Houston Museum of African American Culture to help us continue to be a space where art, culture, and the world are joined with community.

We are as always grateful for your support and generosity as we continue to strive to make our community richer and inclusive. On behalf of the HMAAC board and staff, we wish you a Happy New Year.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to our extended family. We look forward to welcoming you back in mid-January with exciting new exhibitions and programs.

Thank you for an incredible 2023! We will recap our year in the coming days with all the thank you’s, and accomplishments you’ve helped us achieve. We will reopen in mid-January with exciting new exhibitions and programs.

Miami Basel Faves from an incredible universe of art. Slide 1: Nyame Brown, “Night of the Baseheads;” 2. Troy Lamarr Chew II, “Notroyiuos;” 3. Stan Squirewell, “Benny and Al;”4. Alfonso Gonzalez, “Beauty Salon;” 5. Frank Morrison, “Subject Matter;” 6. Della Wells, “Wait a Minute, This Is Our House;” 7. Joseph Eze, “You Phobia 5;” 8. BK Adams, “Soul Search;” 9. Akinola Taohead, “The Panic of Growing Older 6;” 10. Kiarita, “from me hair follicles to my toenails (you love me)”.

YAASSS!

We’re excited to partner with .black and tomorrow December 9, from 4 PM 6 pm for a screening of Andrew Dosunmu’s eclectic body of work. Following will be a conversation with Dosunmu and . Dosunmu will be signing copies of his new book, Monograph

Over the next few days we will feature artists from our Champagne & Ribs Fundraiser and Art Auction. We’ve already sold one item at the “Buy it now” price, so if you are considering making a bid, register on the auction website and make a bid today (link in bio)!

Our featured artist today is David McGee. His painting “Davinci” is part of the HMAAC auction. In a review of his solo exhibition at the Inman Gallery here in Houston, Rainey Knudson of Glasstire Magazine writes “McGee is a cultural excavator, digging deep under the surface of who we are, where we came from, and where we can hope to go.”
In an essay from Inman gallery who represents McGee, the essay states “Oscillating between abstraction and figuration, David McGee’s work explores a variety of subjects encompassing the emotional weights of race, language, art history, and the recognition of existence, both individual and collective. Working serially, McGee returns to visual themes freely to explore ideas with continuous curiosity and interrogation, allowing meaning to cyclically build within and across each respective series.”

David McGee (b. Lockhart, LA, 1962) grew up in Detroit, MI and moved to Texas in the early 1980s. He holds a BFA from Prairie View A&M University. In addition to numerous solo exhibitions at regional institutions, his debut institutional survey and accompanying catalog, curated by Katia Zavistovski, will open Fall 2025 at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art (Charlotte, NC). His work is currently on view in the group exhibitions, Art in Words, at the Harry Ransom Center (Austin, TX) and SANKOFA 23: The Sankofa Project Exhibition 2020-2023 at Lawndale Art Center (Houston, TX). McGee lives and works in Houston, TX

Art Basel. In a compelling sea of images from artists highlighting choosing US, Gordon Parks (Slide 1) forever reminds us that choosing US is in fact a choice. It is a choice of presentation whether quilted like Faith Ringgold and Bisa Butler or abstract like Hank Willis Thomas or figurative like Ernie Barnes and or transcendent as Ebony Patterson.

HMAAC once again presents the legendary Champagne & Ribs!! We will have live entertainment along with the sounds of Def Jam Blaster. This year, HMAAC will honor Harrison Guy, LaTorria Lemon, and Councilman Edward Pollard, and one more surprise guest who is a change maker in the city of Houston and beyond. Enjoy a relaxed setting of casual elegance, amazing music, delicious BBQ and bubbly champagne on the Museums grounds.

Get your tickets using the link below. 👇

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hmaac-presents-champagne-ribs-tickets-753984426717?aff=oddtdtcreator

Thank you, for this thoughtful conversation/interview with our chief curator, Christopher Blay. The Houston Museum of African American Culture was proud to work with , , and along with independent curator and Diverseworks curator on this important project. Also great to have .au.floyd's incredible work as a backdrop! Read the full interview (link in bio).
Support HMAAC and what we do. Your purchase of a ticket to our annual fundraiser Champagne & Ribs, or a donation of any amount will sustain our efforts to bring you engaging conversations around art and culture. Get your tickets today

Preview our art auction, part of HMAAC's annual Champagne & Ribs Fundraiser here (video and online links in bio), or visit us in person. It includes 2023 Guggenheim Fellow, Evita Tezeno, Texas Artist of the Year (2022) Letitia Huckaby, David Mcgee, Floyd Newsum, Robert Hodge and others.
The museum will be open the rest of this week, Tuesday, December 5 - Saturday, December 9, 11AM - 6PM when you can stop in for all your holiday shopping and purchase your Champagne & Ribs tickets! Individual tickets to the fundraiser are $65 to $100 and sponsorships begin at the $1000 Bronze level which gets your organization a table. Come by today!
Our Media Sponsor for Champagne & Ribs is Glasstire Magazine

Champagne & Ribs is only two weeks away! Join the Houston Museum of African American Culture for our annual fundraiser and art auction. Tickets to the fundraiser begin at $100 (link in bio). Come out on Thursday, December 14 7PM-Midnight for food, festivities, and a celebration of HMAAC.
The fundraiser features an art auction with celebrated artists including 2023 Guggenheim Fellow, Evita Tezeno, Texas Artist of the Year (2022) Letitia Huckaby, David Mcgee, Floyd Newsum, Robert Hodge and others. The auction is now live (link in bio).
We will be open tomorrow, Saturday December 2, 11AM - 6PM for our annual holiday market with vendors, art, and merchandise from the Culture Shoppe. Join us and support HMAAC today

Immerse yourself in the warmth of community as you discover what's tucked underneath the Christmas tree! The spirit of giving comes alive at our annual holiday market on December 2nd from 11 am to 4 pm. Come and shop for unique and cultural prints, books, and original artwork. Join us in exploring the magic of the season.

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to HMAAC today to help us continue our mission to be "a cultural portal through which people share and converge histories and contemporary experiences that acknowledge and expand the African American experience."

Over the past year we have presented exhibitions, films, lectures, poetry, music, and celebrations to the public free of charge, and we need your help to continue to do so.

Please click the donation link in our bio or visit www.hmaac.org and make a donation today

Happy Thanksgiving! Sending heartfelt wishes from the entire Houston Museum of African American Culture family. May this day be a celebration of unity, cultural richness, and the shared appreciation of our diverse heritage. May your home be filled with laughter, your table with delicious moments, and your hearts with gratitude. Thank you for always being part of the community. We're grateful for each and every one of you.

The Houston Museum of African American Culture is closed until Saturday, December 2 as we prepare for our holiday market and "12 Days of Christmas Mall." Follow us on social media and visit www.hmaac.org for more information on upcoming events including our Champagne & Ribs fundraiser on Thursday, December 14 at 7PM!

We closed our last two exhibitions of the year at the Houston Museum of African American Culture yesterday and will miss the works of Johnny Floyd and David Stunts on our gallery walls! Please click on our link in bio for a review of Floyd's solo exhibition "GODBODY".

HMAAC will be closed until December 2, when we open our Holiday Market and 12 Days of Christmas Mall. While closed, visitors and passers by will be able to experience our "8x5" partnership with Art At A Time Like This. The banner project featuring works from 10 artists will be on view on HMAAC's perimeter fencing through December 2.

The Houston Museum of African American Culture, in collaboration with "Art At A Time Like This" and "Save Art Space" will display banners from nine artists participating in "8 x 5", a public-facing initiative named for the size of an average prison cell. This timely public intervention presents the work of artists responding to mass incarceration and inequalities in the justice system. Originally launched in Miami in June 2022, 8x5 Houston will include art from Jenny P***k and the Fortune Society Artists, Jared Owens, Faylita Hicks, Trenton Doyle Hancock, McKenna Gessner, Monti Hill, Kill Joy, Chandrika Metivier, and El Rebo. The banners will be on view on HMAAC's museum fencing through December 2, 2023.

Additionally, on Monday, November 20, a message from artist Mel Chin will be plastered on the side of the building located at 1802 Richmond Ave & Woodhead St.

Coinciding with this display, mobile digital trucks bearing these impactful artworks will circulate throughout Houston on November 18 and November 24. Look for the vehicles at Stadiums and Shopping as well as important sites in the Third Ward.

HMAAC and Art At A Time Like This thanks institutional partners in this project including the Rothko Chapel, Arts League Houston, Contemporary Art Museum Houston, Project Row Houses, and Texas Center for Justice and Equity. Heartfelt thanks to everyone impacted by this system that turned out for the HMAAC panel discussion on November 4, 2023 which will be available in the coming weeks.

Our hearts could not be heavier! At times like this you savor those last times together (Slides 2 and 3) a year ago at the HMAAC CEOs condo. And you remember how much of a giver Raddy was. He was the FIRST Gala Chair for HMAAC and we were so excited when we asked him, and even then as an internationally renowned artist, in his typical low keyness he responded simply “Of course!”
Bailey reassured us that our devotion to authenticity in community was a right direction. He of course was always in that community space as a deeply introspective and spiritual person. “ I think there is a way to be active in one’s community,” he once stated, and I don’t necessarily mean going to work at a community center, but in reaching out and touching, really touching those who are closest to you.”
He pointed us to our real life and accessible role models, reminding us that they were there for us to celebrate and honor, like fathers, grandfathers and uncles. It’s more about triumph and beauty of the black people who walk among us. In his work we found cousins and sisters and family in woven tapestries staring back at us, reminding us of our authentic grace and nobility. And in the end he was clear about the need for black assets. “We don’t have auction houses or string galleries or our own system to gain from. We are doing great work, but control is not necessarily in our hands.” As his days grew shorter, one of his closest friends recalled that “he faced his end with courage and dignity. Our hearts are sooo heavy right now ….

On November 2 the Houston Museum of African American Culture was named a Houston Cultural Treasure by the BIPOC Arts Network and Fund (BANF). It is an acknowledgement of the vital role our museum has played in sharing African American culture, and being a crucial part of making sure that representation and equity in art and culture exist for all. Since our inception we have continued to foreground exhibitions and programs that reflect our mission and expand the museum beyond the white cube and into Houston communities.

We regularly exhibit BIPOC artists and present conversations of importance to our communities as well as providing concrete support to Houston BIPOC artists with stipends for exhibitions that are comparable or exceed support from other institutions. And most importantly, we are always free and open to the public.

As Giving Tuesday approaches (November 28), we appeal to you, our patrons, members, and visitors to consider a donation to your Houston Cultural Treasure. Please click on the link in bio or visit www.hmaac.org and click on the donation link to ensure that we continue to bring you the programs, films, conversations, and exhibitions you’ve come to enjoy at HMAAC. Make a donation TODAY!

Come by and view our current exhibition "Johnny Floyd:GODBODY," curated by Christopher Blay. This is the final week to see the show. If you can't make it, please take a moment to do a virtual walkthrough of the exhibition, complete with labels and information about the artist. Link in Bio.

HMAAC is open Thursday - Saturday, 11AM - 6PM.

This is the final week to visit our two current exhibitions: "Johnny Floyd:GODBODY," and "Bert Long, Jr. Prize Exhibition featuring David Stunts," will both close on Saturday, November 18. Please go to the link in bio to watch a conversation between David Stunts and Killa Kyleon, moderated by HMAAC's Chief Curator, Christopher Blay.

From a dynamic panel discussion to address solutions to mass incarceration, and another conversation about Black history through the lense of eight Houston authors, it’s been quite a week at the Houston Museum of African American Culture! We were also recognized as a Houston Cultural Treasure in the same breath and hosted a tour with graduate art students from the Virginia Commonwealth University. All in a day’s work for HMAAC!

Stay tuned this week as we wrap up our current exhibitions and look forward to our Holiday Market and “12 Days of Christmas Mall, Followed by our biggest party and art auction of the year, Champagne & Ribs!

We are an hour away from the launch of “Our Shades Of Black History: Individual Stories From Black Men & Women From Moments In Time". The book signing and conversation is hosted by HMAAC as part of the programming for our current exhibition "Johnny Floyd: GODBODY," which closes on November 18.

Join the authors of stories from Black men and women highlighting pivotal moments in time and offering insights into history, identity, and social change. The authors include , , ,@mr_worldtravelerokc@thepocketusa@tedrickdh and . The book will also be available for purchase in the HMAAC Culture Shoppe. See you soon!

Experience the wonders of the holiday season at the 12 Days of Christmas Mall, located at the Houston Museum of African American Culture (HMAAC), from December 1st through December 13th. The event will be open daily from 11 am to 4 pm. Indulge in the joys of the season with a wide selection of original artwork, personalized gifts, and festive ornaments, allowing you to start your holiday shopping early and perhaps even treat yourself to something special. The Houston Museum of African American Culture (HMAAC) invites you to join us at this exciting event, providing an opportunity to embrace the festive spirit and bring the joy of Christmas to your home. Don’t miss out on this chance to get into the holiday groove. We look forward to seeing you there!

HMAAC is excited to partner with on the 2023 Houston Cinema Arts Festival! Use HMAAC20 for 20% off all orders! See you there!

Please Join us on Saturday, November 11 at 2PM as we host the authors of “Our Shades Of Black History: Individual Stories From Black Men & Women From Moments In Time". The book signing and conversation is hosted by HMAAC as part of the programming for our current exhibition "Johnny Floyd: GODBODY," which closes on November 18.

This collection of stories from Black men and women highlights pivotal moments in time and offers profound insights into history, identity, and social change. The authors include @legacyblue66, @bougzee713@mr_worldtravelerokc @tedrickdh@_myblackisbeautiful__@attorneyaprilwilliams. As a number one Bestseller on Amazon.com, the book will also be available for purchase in the HMAAC Culture Shoppe.

Join us for a reading of RTB by Gin Hammond at HMAAC. November 10, at 7pm

World War II. A small Texas town. A precocious Black girl struggles with guilt over her brother’s death and is poised to take over the small empire her activist father has amassed. Burdened by legacy and guilt, she feels buried alive, as if her life is happening without her, until faced with a question only she can answer: continue to risk her life in the fight for Civil Rights, or escape to Paris to live a life she’s always dreamed of? Returning the Bones explores the question: How do you choose between your country, your people, and yourself? … and brings you on a journey of many miles, perspectives, and epiphanies. The author was Inspired by actual events in her aunt’s life in this historical novel.

Join us for a reading of RTB by Gin Hammond at HMAAC. November 11, at 7pm

World War II. A small Texas town. A precocious Black girl struggles with guilt over her brother’s death and is poised to take over the small empire her activist father has amassed. Burdened by legacy and guilt, she feels buried alive, as if her life is happening without her, until faced with a question only she can answer: continue to risk her life in the fight for Civil Rights, or escape to Paris to live a life she’s always dreamed of? Returning the Bones explores the question: How do you choose between your country, your people, and yourself? … and brings you on a journey of many miles, perspectives, and epiphanies. The author was Inspired by actual events in her aunt’s life in this historical novel.