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The Vault: Exhibiting Private Collections of Black Art by Black Art Collectors

July 1, 2023  - September 17, 2023

Mint Museum Uptown

Guest Curated by Jessica Gaynelle Moss

 

Collectors of Black art often see themselves as custodians of the history, culture, and nuanced narratives of the global black experience.  These collectors often feel honor-bound to protect Black artists and preserve Black culture, which for so long, and so often, has been excluded from contemporary art spaces.  The Vault showcases the collection of 4 black art collector couples: Judy and Patrick Diamond, Nina and James Jackson, Christy and Quincy Lee, and Cheryse and Christopher Terry.

 

 


 

 

The Collectors

 

Judy and Patrick Diamond


 

"We began collecting out of a desire to learn more about the many significant contributions which have been made to American culture by artists of African-American descent. Equally important was our interest in providing our son with an introduction to the importance and richness of our African-American heritage. When I was a child growing up in South Carolina, black people were not allowed admission to the City’s art museum. Consequently, I was an adult before my first visit to a museum. We wanted our child to have a different experience, and for our home to further enhance his introduction to the visual arts and history." -Patrick Diamond

 

Judy and Patrick Diamond began collecting art as a hobby, but have become devoted to collecting notable Black artists' works. The couple's passion for collecting art began when they traveled to Dar Salaam, Tanzania a week after their wedding with the Harvard Africa Volunteer Project. Upon learning about the skills of African woodworkers, painters, and other craftspeople, they decided to start a small collection. For 48 years, they have cultivated relationships with contemporary artists and have become incredibly knowledgable about the field.

 

In this exhibition, you can see a wide array of prints, photographs, paintings, woodworks, and sweetgrass basketry. Some themes they are most interested in are history, music, family, and Christianity in relation to the African American experience.

 

More about Judy and Patrick Diamond

 

Artists Represented in the Diamond's Collection

 

Nina and James Jackson

 

Where some collectors focus on investment or status in their practices, the Jacksons are more interested in an aesthetic appreciation of artworks. Their collection is visceral and they focus on finding works with unique storytelling.

 

The Jacksons are sharing a large set of paintings by T.J. Reddy, prints by Kerry James Marshall, masks, and a few other types of work. Additionally, you will find a collection of Black Santas, which while not traditionally seen as "fine art", still offer an interesting perspective on Black identity and American holiday traditions. 

 

Artists Represented in the Jackson's Collection  

 

Cheryse and Christopher Terry

 

 

The Terrys collecting practice is original, as they are interested in archiving a wide variety of material that reflects on Black experience in the United States. As a child, Cheryse Terry loved antiquing with her mother, which grew into a passion for recording oft-ignored narratives. In 2021, Cheryse Terry founded Archive CLT, which is a coffeeshop/bookstore/place to view collected ephemera.

 

The Terry's goal is to "destabilize the canon, challenge the ancient regime and define (and increasingly redefine) art history through collecting." Cheryse and Christopher Terry will be exhibiting over 30 afro picks and a variety of ephemera, such as magazines, records, toys, advertisements, and more. 

 

More About Cheryse and Christopher Terry

 

Artists Represented in the Terry's Collection

 

  • Magazines 
    • Over 100+ magazine covers scanned to be displayed, printed as a vinyl wallpaper in the exhibition
    • Essence
    • Ebony
    • Ebony Jr. 
    • Jet
    • Flamingo
    • Jive
    • Source 
    • Post with Malcolm X on cover
    • Newsweek with Toni Morrison on cover
  • Other 
    • Steve Urkel Doll
    • Famous Amos Cookie Jar
    • Huey P Newton Portrait

 

Christy and Quincy Lee

 

The Lees collection records an impressive span of Black art, including notable artists like Charles Alston, Juan Logan, and Nellie Ashford. By regularly attending auctions and treating collecting as a sport, they have been able to acquire a collection that leaves behind a legacy.

 

Christy and Quincy Lee were two of eight founders (including Patrick and Judy Diamond) of Charlotte Artsy Folks, an organization that aims to provide education about Black art and collecting and engage with African American artists in Charlotte. The group finds it necessary to serve as a philanthropic organization that brings art to a greater portion of the city. Christy Lee says, “It’s about making it accessible. A lot of times when people think about art collection, they think it’s so far out of their range — whether it be financially or even mentally sometimes — but just making it so that you as a person can also buy this, and maybe the painting that you think is beautiful or you know some history about it, it’s bringing it down so that people know they all can be collectors.”

 

More about Christy and Quincy Lee

 

Artists Represented in the Lee's Collection

 

More on Collecting Art by Black Artists

 

Each set of collectors in this exhibition would agree that it is important for everyone—including institutions, curators, art dealers, and individuals—to make a greater commitment toward supporting Black artists. As recent studies have shown (see the Burns Halperin Report below), Black artists, and especially Black women artists, are continually under-collected and under-represented in the art world. It is not enough for institutions to only collect works by a few well-known Black artists, but to also support the larger community on a creative, social, and financial level. The resources below provide more context about these analyses and how you can get involved.

 

 

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Created by RJ Maupin, Library Volunteer

 

 

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