Internationally Renowned Printing Press Artist’s Posters on Display

AUBURN, Ala.--The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art will display Posters from the Black Belt: Works by Amos Kennedy Jr. from September 20 through October 5, 2008 in the Corridor Gallery. Kennedy is an internationally recognized printing press artist, whose chipboard posters are socially, politically and racially charged, with quotes from Sojourner Truth, Rosa Parks and phrases like “coffee makes you black.”

Kennedy is a self-proclaimed “humble negro printer” who left his corporate, steady income job with AT&T in order to move to rural Alabama and go wherever his art took him. He found his calling making posters and living a simpler life as a letterpress printing artist. He has served as the artist-in-residence at the Coleman Center in York, Alabama.

The posters on display are for sale, which Kennedy chooses to sell at an inexpensive price so anyone can afford his art. Prints may be reserved and will be available for pickup on October 5, 2008 at the JCSM Birthday Party event. Kennedy will be present at the event, demonstrating his printing and papermaking techniques. Participants will also have the chance to try their hand at papermaking.

In addition to displaying Kenndey’s art, JCSM will present the independent documentary film Proceed and Be Bold!, about his life, art and work. The film will be screened at noon and 4pm on Wednesday, October 2, 2008. Following the 4pm screening, director/producer Laura Zinger will discuss the film, which is her first independently produced feature-length documentary.

Open since 2003, the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University is Alabama’s only university art museum. Serving as the gateway into Auburn University, the museum is home to many pieces of culturally significant art. The collection includes 100 Audubon prints, a rare group of more than 40 Tibetan bronzes dating back from the 14th century and works by important American artists, such as Arthur Dove, Georgia O’Keeffe and Lyonel Feininger. The museum rotunda hangs a three-tiered, hand-blown glass chandelier created especially for the museum by internationally-renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly. The beauty continues onto the grounds of the museum with fifteen acres of gardens, walking paths and water features, complete with an eleven and a half foot tall brass sculpture, Spinoff, created by Auburn alumna Jean Woodham.

CONTACT: Colleen Bourdeau, Marketing and Events Manager
334.844.7075
cbourdeau@auburn.edu