As the art market rebounds, we are seeing a surge in collectors seeking African-American Fine Art—especially scarce and important works. The sale began with intense competition for 19th-century paintings by Duncanson and Porter, and the momentum was sustained all the way to the final section, a celebration of Romare Bearden’s centennial year, where two of his collages from the early 1970s sold in the high five figures.” – Nigel Freeman, Director of African-American Fine Art at Swann Galleries, in a press release after the February 17,2011 Sale 2237.
Collecting art, especially works by African Americans and those in the Diaspora, was once revered as taboo and with little to no value for a serious collector. No longer considered a hobby, African American art has always played a tremendous role in the fabric of not only The United States but the world as a whole. There are a number of factors that have contributed to its continued popularity: President Obama’s selections of works by several artists, including Alma Thomas, to grace the walls of The White House; The National Museum of African-American History and Culture; and several retrospectives at major museums of artists like Glen Ligon, Barkley Hendricks, Kara Walker and Radcliffe Bailey. >>read more
Source: http://atlantapost.com/2011/09/06/made-in-america-the-economics-of-black-art/
