Denton is one of only a handful of cities to land an elite exhibit from the Alford Green African Art Collection.
This fall, Denton will enjoy a rare glimpse into one of the largest private collections of African art in the United States. Hosted by the Greater Denton Arts Council at the Center for Visual Arts, “Ceremonies in African Art from the Alford Green African Art Collection” is a showcase of art and artifacts from the 18th century and later, representing such diverse cultures as the Ashanti, the Benin Kingdom, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, Zaire, and more.
“To be able to show an exhibition of this nature is truly incredible and a very important event for the greater Denton area,” says Margaret Chalfant, executive director of the Greater Denton Arts Council. “You don’t find this many pieces and the quality that is in this collection very often.”
The East Gallery will exhibit a portfolio of 15 hand-printed woodcuts by internationally renowned artist Lucky Sibiya (1942-1999). These captivating pieces are based on Umabatha, a play that weaves Zulu history around Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
The Meadows Gallery will feature a collection of idols, masks, beaded boxes, and other relics.
Alford Green, who retired as president and CEO of an environmental cleanup company, began collecting more than two decades ago when he traveled to Nigeria with the State Department to bid on a project.
“While I was there, I got interested in African art and the African culture in general,” says the 62-year-old Green, who lives in Lake Charles, Louisiana. “It’s art with a purpose. When you see anything that has a purpose, you want to know more about it.”
Green hopes the exhibit will help viewers see Africa in a more positive light than it’s sometimes portrayed and its important role in shaping artistic viewpoints.
“It’s very exciting to be able to show this to our area and region,” Chalfant says. “We will be the fourth, and most likely the last, public exhibition of the pieces.”
“I’m only doing this for Margaret,” says Green, who served as president of the Arts & Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana while Chalfant was director there. “I’m getting too old.”
By Rachel Stowe Master