Artists Rico Gatson, Dianne Smith, and Benjamin Lee Sperry are part of an exciting young generation of abstract painters. These three artists will speak about their personal interests and the storied history of abstraction. Their talk will be held in celebration of The Church's current exhibition, Return to a Place by The Sea, which explores the long and fruitful relationship between four African American abstract artists who quietly revolutionized the medium - Nanette Carter, Gregory Coates, Al Loving and Frank Wimberley. Carter and Coates recommended Gatson, Smith, and Sperry for this event. They are linked by ties friendship and mentorship. The theme of kinship between Carter, Coates, Loving and Wimberley is essential to our show and evident in the dialogues between their work. Therefore, it is fitting to look to the future with next generation who are carrying forward this conversation of ideas and paint. The roundtable will be moderated by The Church’s Chief Curator Sara Cochran, who co-curated Return to a Place by the Sea with our co-founder, April Gornik.
The exhibition will be open for viewing immediately before the event and will remain on view during all normal open hours through May 28th.
