Hugh Grannum (left) and William T. Williams (right) at the DIA; photographed by Eric Wheeler (c) The Detroit Institute of Arts 2010
The DIA’s Friends of African and African American Art honored former Detroit Free Press photographer Hugh Grannum and painter William T. Williams at their annual Alain Locke Awards event this past Sunday.
This afternoon at 2 p.m. DIA’s Friends of African and African American Art (FAAAA) will present awards in honor of two legendary artists – painter William T. Williams and Detroit-based photographer Hugh Grannum – at their annual Alain Locke Awards event. As part of the program, Williams will present a lecture entitled “Merging Art and Life in Abstraction.” The event is free with museum admission.
Williams is known for his large, abstract paintings that reflect his mastery of color, his innovative artistic approaches, and his diverse range of interests. Emmy-Award-winning photographer Hugh Grannum worked for the Detroit Free Press for 37 years (he retired in 2007).
The FAAAA established the Alain Locke Awards in 1992 to honor individuals who advance and promote an understanding of African American culture. Dr. Alain Locke (1886-1954) was a distinguished African American intellectual and a leading promoter and interpreter of the artistic and cultural contributions of African Americans to American life.
You can catch Grannum as well this Thursday evening, February 17, 2011, at the Charles Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit, where he will participate in a discussion panel with other artists called “Art of the Masters: A Survey of African American Images, 1980-2000.” The event will begin at 6 p.m. – more information is available at the Wright Museum’s website – www.chwmuseum.org.
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