Frank Bowling
“Thank You Graham Mileson”,
1987, acrylic / canvas, 70” x 27 ½”


Frank Bowling
“Canjebend”, 1980
Acrylic / canvas, 64" x 32"

CURRENT EXHIBITION:
AFRICAN AMERICAN ABSTRACT MASTERS
February 6 - April 24, 2010
Betty Blayton, Frank Bowling, Ed Clark, Herbert Gentry, Bill Hutson, Sam Middleton, Joe Overstreet, Thomas Sills, Merton Simpson and Frank Wimberley
(About the artists - click here)

There is a concurrent exhibition at the Wilmer Jennings Gallery at Kenkeleba
219 East 2nd St, NY, NY 10009
PH: 212-674-3939
February 21 - April 24, 2010

Opalka Gallery will also feature these artists:
Opalka Gallery - The Sage Colleges
www.sage.edu/opalka
November 5 - December 12, 2010

This is the first time I am exhibiting an African-American group of artists. My gallery has exhibited black artists over the years in group shows. Many galleries have never shown them. The public should be made aware of good art whoever does it.
The artists in this exhibition are truly masters of Abstraction. The black art movement was helped by the W.P.A., the G. I. Bill (after WWII) and the Civil Rights movement. With all that, most artists had to go to Europe to paint and sell – similar to the jazz musicians of that era. Many of these artists did show in the fifties and early sixties but like all abstract artists, they were eclipsed by the Pop and Minimal movements. Today, many galleries are showing younger artists of all races. This group of first and second generation black artists has fallen through the cracks and should not be forgotten.
It is my pleasure to collaborate with an old colleague, Corinne Jennings, of the wellestablished Wilmer Jennings Gallery at Kenkeleba on this most important exhibition. Dr. Mary Anne Rose, the curator of this exhibition, knew most of these artists through her husband, Herbert Gentry. We thank her for the tremendous amount of work, energy and scholarship that she put into this exhibition. We are proud to partner again with Mr. Jim Wilson, Director of Opalka Gallery, Sage College of Albany, who continues to open new vistas for his students. This very important area of undervalued African American artists will surely enhance their spectrum of art history.
Anita Shapolsky

Gallery Hours
Wed – Sat 11 – 6 PM or by app.

Catalog available - $10.00

If you wish to be contacted via email about our future exhibitions, please contact us at ashapolsky@nyc.rr.com.