Over the last two months I’ve posted a great deal about the student artists partnering in LEROI: Living in Color. Today I want to highlight another key partner in my upcoming exhibition--- the Burchfield Penney Art Center.
For anyone unfamiliar, the art center was founded in 1966 as the Charles E. Burchfield Center--- an arts and educational institution at Buffalo State College. The museum focused on the work of renowned painter Charles E. Burchfield, the first artist ever offered a solo show at New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
In 1983 the institution was renamed the Burchfield Art Center to support its broadening multi-arts focus, committing to a full range of visual expression, including craft art, architecture, and design.
The Burchfield Penney is dedicated to the art and vision of American painter Charles E. Burchfield and maintains the world's largest collection of Burchfield's work, as well as many other distinguished artists of Buffalo and the region.
Through the center’s affiliation with SUNY Buffalo State College, they encourage learning and celebrate the richly creative and diverse Western New York community.
Scott Propeack is the acting director of the Burchfield Penney, and he is supported by an accomplished staff that includes Tiffany Gaines, the art center’s first, Black in-house curator. Tiffany is at the forefront of black curatorial engagement - a movement that is just beginning to take hold nationally and internationally.
Her official title is Curatorial & Digital Content Associate, which means that she helps bring The Center’s exhibitions and communications to life.
Tiffany works actively between the Curatorial and Marketing departments to translate the museum’s work across platforms, curating exhibitions, conducting research, communicating with artists, producing multimedia content, and interpreting works for mainstream audiences.
In the case of LEROI: Living in Color, she has helped to expertly guide this project from the very beginning.
Since early 2022, Tiffany and I have been defining and shaping this exhibition by determining which of my works of art will be included along with ways to weave in the work of the four student artists’ groups. In addition, she will be writing the curatorial text that puts my work and the educational component of the exhibition in context.
She also directed the transporting of 75 pieces of my artwork from my home to the art center and is continuing to oversee them as they are catalogued and prepared for the exhibit.
Finally, she will determine how all the art will be displayed in the Center’s expansive East Gallery---a process she estimates may take up to three weeks. She even came up with the “LEROI: Living in Color” title.
In short, using her artistic creativity, Tiffany is envisioning this art exhibition in ways that will undoubtedly make it memorable for myself, the student artists, the Burchfield Penney and all who view and enjoy it during its four-month run. She is a tremendous asset to Burchfield and to the Living In Color exhibit.
LEROI: Living in Color Exhibition includes the work of students from Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology (BCAT,) Buffalo Public Schools (BPS,) Just Buffalo Literary Center (JBLC,) and Squeaky Wheel Film & Media Art Center. The exhibition will be on view at the Burchfield Penney Art Center through March 26, 2023, presented by M&T Bank, with additional support from organizations and individuals throughout the Western New York community.