Nov 30: Student Symposium: Alonzo Davis

The last quarter of the twentieth century witnessed vigorous debates about the functions, aesthetics, and funding of public art in the United States. Some questioned the appropriateness of sponsoring art projects that showed the country's shortcomings or promoted non-elite perspectives. Simultaneously, others looked at abstract public art and wondered whether artists have become too elitist and out of touch. Alonzo Davis became a leading creator, administrator, and educator of public art in the midst of these fierce debates. In this exhibit, we explore how Davis navigated this tumultuous period while maintaining his belief that art can promote social justice. "The Public Art of Alonzo Davis" is created by Master of Library and Information Science students in the "Arrangement, Description and Access for Archives" course at the University of Maryland under the supervision of Dr. Eric Hung. It uses materials from the Alonzo Davis Papers archived at The David C. Driskell Center. The project is made possible by the work of David Conway and Karina Nelson, archivists at the Driskell Center, and their student assistants. Tonight's event is co-sponsored by The David C. Driskell Center and Center for Archival Futures (CAFé) at the College of Information Studies.

This event will be followed by the reception (7 pm – 8 pm).