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Iona Rozeal Brown and 30 Americans at Corcoran

Written by Andrew Katz Katz

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Over New American Paintings’ history we have reviewed the work of tens of thousands of artists. For those with a keen interest in contemporary painting, the publication has had an incredible track record of featuring artists that have gone on to gain significant attention. Iona Rozeal Brown is one such artist. She was featured in our 2002 MFA Annual when she had just graduated from the Yale School of Art. We knew there was something special about her even then, and nine years later she has proven it with an international exhibition record and a collector base that includes the New Museum and the Hirshhorn Museum. Brown is a participant in The Corcoran Gallery of Art's exhibition called 30 Americans, which, "...showcases works by many of the most important African American artists of the last three decades. This provocative exhibition focuses on issues of racial, sexual, and historical identity in contemporary culture while exploring the powerful influence of artistic legacy and community across generations." The show, which runs through February 12th, was organized by the Rubell Family Collection, Miami. -- More about the exhibition and participating artists after the jump! [vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/29508112 w=500&h=281]

Other featured artists include:

Iona Rozeal Brown |  Sacrifice #2: It Has to Last (after Yoshitoshi's “Drowsy: the appearance of a harlot of the Meiji era”), 2007. Enamel, acrylic and paper on wooden panel, 52 x 38 inches. Courtesy of Rubell Family Collection, Miami.
Rashid Johnson | The New Negro Escapist Social and Athletic Club (Thurgood), 2008. Lambda print, 69 x 55 1/2 inches. Courtesy of Rubell Family Collection, Miami.
Mickalene Thomas | Baby I Am Ready Now, 2007. Acrylic, rhinestone, and enamel on wooden panel, diptych, 72 x 132 inches overall; 72 x 60 inches, left panel; 72 x 72 inches, right panel. Courtesy of Rubell Family Collection, Miami.
Exhibition description from the Corcoran Website: "30 Americans is a wide-ranging survey of work by many of the most important African American artists of the last three decades. Selected from the Rubell Family Collection, the exhibition brings together seminal figures such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and David Hammons with younger and emerging artists such as Kehinde Wiley and Shinique Smith. Often provocative and challenging, 30 Americans focuses on issues of racial, sexual, and historical identity in contemporary culture. It explores how each artist reckons with the notion of black identity in America, navigating such concerns as the struggle for civil rights, popular culture, and media imagery. At the same time, it highlights artistic legacy and influence, tracing subject matter and formal strategies across generations." Read More
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