CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR MARCH 18, 2008
CALVIN ART GALLERY TO HOST NEGRO LEAGUE PAINTINGS OF KADIR NELSON (written by Calvin Director of Media Relations Phil de Haan)
A new exhibition that has just opened at the Center Art Gallery at Calvin will have special appeal for baseball fans.
"Beauty of the Spirit" features the work of renowned African-American artist and illustrator Kadir Nelson, including several paintings which were the subject of a recent Sports Illustrated feature story. Those paintings are part of Nelson's new book titled We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball.
In the book Nelson uses an "Everyman" player as his narrator, and through that player illustrates the history of Negro League baseball from its roots in the 1920s to its eventual demise in 1947 when Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier and made the majors.
The book's focal point are dozens of full-page and double-page oil paintings. Of them Sports Illustrated said simply: "Luminous paintings by Kadir Nelson re-create the power and majesty of the Negro leagues, in a time when some of the game's greats played in undeserved obscurity -- but with undiminished passion."
The exhibition at Calvin also includes paintings from other Nelson books as well as personal works. Calvin director of exhibitions Joel Zwart said that there is a quality of spirit that runs through all of Nelson's work.
"When you look at it," he said, "it gives you a pause to reflect on it. But there is also a rhythm to it, a sense of quiet energy, whether he's illustrating narrative or sports or biography." Several of the works in "Beauty of the Spirit," he added, represent Nelson's interest in themes of African American history.
The hours for the show are Monday through Thursday from 9 am to 9 pm, Fridays from 9 am to 5 pm and Saturdays from noon to 4 pm. The Center Art Gallery is located in the lower level of the Spoelhof College Center.
Also Calvin will host a reception and book signing with Kadir Nelson on Friday, April 18 from 6:30 to 8 pm with refreshments and books available for purchase. That event is free and open to all and will be held in the lower Gezon lobby. Nelson also will be a featured speaker at the 2008 Festival of Faith and Writing at Calvin.
For more see http://www.calvin.edu/centerartgallery/2007_2008/kadirnelson07.htm
Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Tue Mar 18 12:43:11 2008
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