The Clark Atlanta University Art Museum was started in 1942. Today, the core strength of Clark Atlanta University’s permanent collection totals over 1200 objects. The current exhibition UNCOMMON NATURE: The Abstrations of Freddie Styles showcases the work of this Morris Brown graduate through May 1st. The director of the CAU Art Museum, Dr. DanilleTaylor, joins us to speak about their work and upcoming exhibitions.
I asked Dr. Taylor about the current exhibition featuring Freddie Styles, and she shared that he is one of the last living artists who participated in the Atlanta Annuals. This annual juried competition was started in 1942 at Atlanta University by artist and educator Hale Woodruff. The competition was formally referred to as the Exhibitions of Paintings, Sculpture, and Prints by Negro Artists in America. The competition ran for close to thirty years, ending in 1970.
Dr. Taylor spoke about the HBCU schools with active museums, including Hampton, Howard, Morgan State, Spelman, and Texas Southern. She also shared the cultural and academic tensions that existed regarding art produced by African-American artists. There are still people who think it is superfluous for HBCUs to be in the business of art.
UNCOMMON NATURE: The Abstractions of Freddie Styles was first shown at the University of Maryland Global Campus. Thirty canvases were moved three weeks before a tragic fire engulfed Styles' home in Atlanta, destroying his art and his art collection.
The Clark Atlanta Art Museum is active on social media, and you can follow it across multiple platforms. Dr. Taylor will come back to share with us about an exciting collaboration with the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture coming to CAU in September 2026.