This year marks the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Detroit Rebellion. The entire city has set aside commemorative events, including the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) which is presenting “Art of Rebellion: Black Art of the Civil Rights Movement.” From July 23 – October 22, 2017, 34 paintings, sculptures and photographs will be showcased from artists who worked in the 1960s and 1970s. The gap will also be bridged with work from modern artists whose work is inspired by The Civil Rights Movement, such as featured painter Mario Moore.
Mario Moore
A millennial and Detroit native, Moore received his B.F.A. in illustration from the College for Creative Studies and M.F.A. in painting from the Yale School of Art. A former artist-in-residence at Knox College, his work has been exhibited at the Charles H. Wright Museum, George N’Namdi Center for Contemporary Art, Winston-Salem State University’s Diggs Gallery, Driscoll Babcock Gallery and Detroit Artists Market.
DIA’s exhibition is meant to tie current events, such as the Black Lives Matter movement, to historic events in order to spark discussions about unrealized hopes for and expectations of American cultural, social, political and economic policies. Moore’s oil painting, titled “Queen Mother Helen Moore,” depicts the matriarch archetype of the Black community. Yet, instead of depicting her as grieving, enraged or saddened, Moore depicts her as defiant, protective and strong.
