Foreword by Eric Crosby. Introduction by Rachel Delphia. Text by Dr. James B. Stewart, Sharif Bey, Alyssa Velazquez.
Bey explores functional and ritual objects, arts of the African and Oceanic diasporas, and the materiality of clay, metal, wood and glass, rejoicing in nature and awe
How does an artist connect their practice to their identity? In what ways does an artist fulfill a social responsibility to their community? These are the driving questions of Sharif Bey: Excavations, a publication inspired by the artist’s solo exhibition at Carnegie Museum of Art in his hometown of Pittsburgh. Through a series of autobiographical excavations highlighting seminal places, peoples and experiences in his artistic journey, Bey (born 1974) explores themes of ancestral wisdom and diasporic identity, while also reflecting on personal connections to museums and cultural organizations. The publication includes an introduction by Rachel Delphia, Alan G. and Jane A. Lehman Curator of Decorative Arts and Design; an essay by James B. Stewart, Penn State Emeritus professor of African American studies; and an exploration of museum collections archives by curatorial assistant Alyssa Velazquez.
"Ornithological Excavation #1," 2020–2021, is from 'Sharif Bey: Excavations.'
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"Nazarite" (2020) is reproduced from Sharif Bey: Excavations, the beautifully designed and thoughtfully conceived first major monograph on the Pittsburgh ceramicist and sculptor whose work explores functional and ritual objects, arts of the African and Oceanic diasporas, and notions of power and ornamentation. “I was raised in an anti-imperialist household influenced by the teachings of the Moorish Science Temple of America,” he writes; “founder Timothy Drew Ali promoted personal transformation, racial pride and spiritual uplift. My father vehemently rejected mass media that celebrated White heroes and marginalized or stereotyped representations of color. When it came to play and art-making, my eleven siblings and I were not allowed to play with European or White action figures. Since I was not afforded the full cast of characters, inclusive of White male protagonists, I couldn’t follow what I now understand to be the American master narrative. We substituted, imagined, or created our own characters and incidentally recreated storylines. For example, since we didn’t have Luke Skywalker, my younger brother and I asked, ‘What might Star Wars be like if Black Belt Jones [played by actor Jim Kelly] were in his place?’ My great uncle taught us to be critical of the media and question the news. He listened to alternative and international news programs on his shortwave radio. Our family instilling an acute awareness of historical inaccuracies and racial distortions led to an ongoing criticality. By the time we reached adolescence, we were used to thinking outside of the box.” continue to blog
FORMAT: Pbk, 6.25 x 8.75 in. / 128 pgs / 55 color / 72 b&w. LIST PRICE: U.S. $28.00 LIST PRICE: CANADA $39 GBP £24.00 ISBN: 9780880390699 PUBLISHER: Carnegie Museum of Art AVAILABLE: 2/21/2023 DISTRIBUTION: D.A.P. RETAILER DISC: TRADE PUBLISHING STATUS: Active AVAILABILITY: In stock TERRITORY: WORLD
Published by Carnegie Museum of Art. Foreword by Eric Crosby. Introduction by Rachel Delphia. Text by Dr. James B. Stewart, Sharif Bey, Alyssa Velazquez.
Bey explores functional and ritual objects, arts of the African and Oceanic diasporas, and the materiality of clay, metal, wood and glass, rejoicing in nature and awe
How does an artist connect their practice to their identity? In what ways does an artist fulfill a social responsibility to their community? These are the driving questions of Sharif Bey: Excavations, a publication inspired by the artist’s solo exhibition at Carnegie Museum of Art in his hometown of Pittsburgh. Through a series of autobiographical excavations highlighting seminal places, peoples and experiences in his artistic journey, Bey (born 1974) explores themes of ancestral wisdom and diasporic identity, while also reflecting on personal connections to museums and cultural organizations. The publication includes an introduction by Rachel Delphia, Alan G. and Jane A. Lehman Curator of Decorative Arts and Design; an essay by James B. Stewart, Penn State Emeritus professor of African American studies; and an exploration of museum collections archives by curatorial assistant Alyssa Velazquez.
