Jun 30 2011
Georgia Artist to Participate in Smithsonian American Art Gallery Grand Opening
Georgia Artist to Participate in Smithsonian American Art Gallery Grand Opening
Indianapolis, IN (PRWEB) June 21, 2006
Fine art sculptor Lucious Webb, from the Atlanta, Georgia area, will be demonstrating his skills in three dimensional work during the grand opening of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery on July 1, 2006. Webb was born and educated in Georgia and attended Howard University from 1959-1968. He developed his art education with a focus on architecture, graphic design and sculpture, studying with renowned artists, Lois Mailou Jones, David Driskell, James Wells, James Porter and Walter Hannula, among many. Lucious’s love for natural materials was explored at the Tougaloo Art Colony in 2003 where he studied Twig Sculpture with California artist and teacher Gyongy Laky. As a result he has added twig sculptures to his repertoire of unique, one of a kind art sculptures and will be the work he will be demonstrating at the Smithsonian.
Lucious and his wife, artist Charlotte Riley-Webb, who is a 2006 recipient of the prestigious Pollock Krasner award, are known for their unique collaborations in what are called sculpted paintings. “Sounds of Perpetual Spring,” a sculpted painting, can be seen in the concert district of downtown Hampton, Virginia where it earned the Hampton Virginia’s Art Commission Award of Excellence. The citizens of the city later voted and this work was given the Peoples Choice Award, purchased by the city and became part of the city of Hampton’s permanent collection. Lucious Webb’s presentation at the Smithsonian on July 1st will take place between 1:00 – 4:00 p.m., in the Luce Foundation Center for American Art.
The National Historic Landmark building that houses the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery is completing an extensive renovation. On July 1, thousands of artworks will return to public view in the nation’s capital, including the famous “Lansdowne” portrait of George Washington, portraits of notable Americans such as Marilyn Monroe and Shaquille O’Neal, large-scale video installations by Nam June Paik, and paintings by Edward Hopper and Georgia O’Keeffe.
Collectively, the two museums and their activities are known as the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture. The museums, located between Seventh and Ninth streets and between F and G streets N.W., will be the cultural centerpiece of a revitalized downtown Washington.
There is 152,500 square feet of exhibition space in the renovated building, a 57,000-square-foot increase of available gallery and public space before the renovation. The total space in the renovated building—382,000 square feet—includes three public floors with mezzanines, the enclosed courtyard, auditorium, lower level and service facilities. The 57,000 square feet of exhibition space for the National Portrait Gallery includes the Great Hall and the America’s Presidents installation. The 95,000 square feet of exhibition space for the Smithsonian American Art Museum includes the Lincoln Gallery and the Luce Foundation Center for American Art. The Archives of American Art gallery is located on the first floor.
The Reynolds Center will be alive with music, food and family activities with a free, public festival from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Grand Opening Family Festival, sponsored by Target, will feature costumed characters from the collections, gallery tours, performances, free ice cream and live music on every floor of the building. Musical performances will include jazz, fife and drum, barbershop, Native American folk, bluegrass, blues and salsa. There also will be dance performances throughout the day including hip-hop, flamenco and tap. Admission is free.
Metrorail station: Gallery Place/Chinatown (Red, Yellow and Green lines). Smithsonian Information: (202) 633-1000; (202) 357-1729 (TTY). Web site: http://www.reynoldscenter.org. For more information on the art, visit http://www.charlotterileywebb.com or contact agent Joyce Moore on 317.258.3935.
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