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BLACK ART FLOURISHES IN "NEW MELANIAN"
The last ten years of the twentieth century, proclaimed The Golden Age of Black Art by the National Conference of Artists (NCA) a decade ago, has proven to be just that. The proliferation of Black arts that we are now experiencing is a projection of what's to come in the year 2001 and beyond. As we usher in The New Melanian of arts and culture, as proclaimed by NCA, expectations are high for Black artists. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language describes "melanian" as "pertaining to dark or black pigmentation." Therefore, The New Melanian of Arts & Culture refers to the art of Africa and its Diaspora. The New Melanian will see the emergence of Black art, music, dance and cultural expression rise to new heights in terms of popularity, visibility and commercial value. The culture of melanin rich people has been steadily gaining prominence in Black communities since the independence movements of African and Caribbean nations struggling to free themselves from colonialism gave rise to a new interest that had come and gone several times in the past.
Artists like Jacob Lawrence, Romare Beardon, Elizabeth Catlett, Gordon Parks, Bob Blackburn and David Driskell have become household names. Wills Bing Davis, Dr. Claude Clarke, Jon Onye Lockard, Dr. Margaret Burroughs, Dr. Floyd Coleman, Dr. Selma Burke, Lois Mailou Jones and Dr. Jack Jordan are well respected in the art community. Art lovers have gotten used to hearing the names of Otto Neals, Ademola Olugebefola, Abdul Rahman, Danny Simmons, Chester Higgins, James Sepyo, Ed Clarke, Adger Cowans, Lorenzo Pace, Mel Edwards, Benny Andrews, Xenobia Bailey, Tony Barboza, Herb Gentry, Leroy Campbell, James Denmark, Emilio Cruz, Jewel Golden, Ann Tanksley, Eli Kinse, Emmett Wigglesworth and Nelson Stevens, among others, many of whom are or have been NCA members.
In dance, perhaps the greatest dance group of all time, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, is celebrating...