MS01.01.01 - Box 04 - Folder 03 - General Correspondence, 1988 January - July

General correspondence, 1988 January - July

Box 4, Folder 3 David C. Driskell Papers MS01.01.01

January 1, 1988

[image: box with business name and address] ART PAPERS Atlanta Art Papers, Inc. P.O. Box 77348 Atlanta, Georgia 30357 (404) 885-1273

Dear David, HAPPY NEW YEAR! I wish you everything good that you might wish for the year of the Dragon. I am doing very well here in Atlanta and I have you my dear friend for sending me here. I never forget a kindness or a consideration and I am grateful to you and this friendship. I am now teaching Art History at Morehouse and enjoying it very much. I have some very bright students and I can work well with them. I am also associate editor for ART PAPERS and LOVE my work with them. I have done some very interesting interviews in recent issues, Richard Avedon, Salome, the Neo-GermaN Expressionist, Adrian Piper, etc. I am now preparing this special issue on African-American Arts coming up this summer. I would very much like to have something about our dear Mr. Porter in the issue and know that you are THE authority on him and his fine work. I talk about him all the time and give him all the credit for who and what I am and what I have become. I dont know how there can be any talk of African-American Art without his being mentioned. So, please write something for us. I know that you are very busy and this is just one more request, but then this assignment is honoring our friend, and teacher, Guru and mentor. I will send you a copy of the current issue of ART PAPERS. It is a very fine publicatino and has a wide readership.

My love to you and your family. I will keep in touch with you as always,

Love,

Mildred

PS. please see page 2 . . .

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2.

January 1, 1988

Dear David, ART PAPERS is planning to focus on African-American art and artist for the July/August 1988 publication. This issue will feature the National Black Arts Festival, (Summer '88, Atlanta,) as well as the Harlem Renaissance Show at the High Museum. Works of particular artist, some of the most nationally known and others of a more local or regional reputation will be presented and highlighted. This issue will continue the dialogue we began in our November/December 1985 (Volume 9, Number 6) issue, "A/The Black Aesthetic."

ART PAPERS is a unique Atlanta based bimonthly arts journal of national scope and readership, presenting the artist and the arts of the Southeastern states to the region and the nation. ART PAPERS, while providing essential services to these artist, educates and informs the general public of contemporary art issues and activities surrounding the arts. No other regional publication is so directed toward serious, critical attention to the visual arts and artist of this area, while at the same time, reporting the debates and current trends on the national and international art scene.

We are now accepting proposals and outlines for essays, articles, reports and, or, interviews pretaining to a/the Black aesthetic, or works and experiences of the African-American artist. We are especially intterested in reports of activities and artist connected to the Southeastern states. Submissions may be full length articles, no longer than 2500 words of 8 to 15, typed double spaced pages. Shorter statements and photographs of art works will also be considered. Art works will be used as illustrations and should be camera ready or halftoned. The deadline for selected submissions is May 1, 1988. Please send outline and/ or proposal as soon as possible so that we may have time for serious selection. Payment for published works will be in copies plus a small honoraium. For further information, please contact Glen Harper, Editor-in Chief.

We look forward to hearing from you very soon.

Sincerely, [drawing: Mildred Thompson's signature] Mildred Thompson, Associate editor.

David C. Driskell [image: bolded blacked-out rectangle over text]

January 2, 1988

Dr. David Mickenberg, Director Mary and Leigh Block Gallery Northwestern University 1967 Sheridan Road Evanston, Illinois 60208

Dear David:

Please pardon my delay in getting back to you on the matter of the lecture at your institution. The holiday season seems to drain us of all of the potential for everything except being commercial. So now I am trying to recover.

I am pleased to say that I shall be able to accept your invitation to lecture at Northwestern on April 25 as that date is clear on my calendar. I do look forward to that event and sharing conversation with you about what is going on here.

We are again in search of a gallery director but I am happy that you did not brave the waters and hook up with these strange people. They seem to think that people are lined up to come here and be abused by their nonsense simply because they live near Washington. You are much better off in Chaicago and environs.

I am enclosing a publicity photo and a vitae for your file. I hope that everything continues to go well with you and do give my best to your family.

Sincerely,

DCD/c David C. Driskell Encls:

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3rd February, 1988

Mr. David C. Driskell University of Maryland COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND

Dear Mr. Driskell:

I have just read your essay, "I Have a Dream: I Have Seen Black Hands", in THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, 21st January, in tribute to Charles White, the artist. The reason for this letter is because I received so much good from your essay, - also to admire the print reproduced on page 30.

It is inspiring to know about Charles White; his ambitions, endeavours, trials and tribulations: all adding up to a perfect, whole individual. At the moment, I am not able to put all my thoughts on paper, but was impelled to let you know how very much I enjoyed this particular essay.

I was particularly interested in the fact that White had settled at one time on the property where John Brown's son had been located. Indeed, it was "hallowed ground".

You mentioned Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., - I had written to Mrs. King after the tragic events of that sad day.

My letter concludes with the heartfelt prayer that the world will eventually slip from the bond of slavery, both physical and mental, where men of good will may clasp hands together in bonds of friendship.

How wonderful it would be to have such an exhibition as "Two Centuries of Black American Art" shown at the Vancouver Art Gallery!

This letter needs no reply, but be assured of my gratitude for your wonderful essay.

Sincerely yours [Drawing: Jean R. Wild's signature] Jean R. Wild (Mrs.)