Art Aids Art presents “The Legacy of Charles White,” a group exhibition showcasing the work of White’s former students from the Tutor/Art program.
The exhibition is on display through August 29 at the Altadena Main Library, 600 East Mariposa Street in Altadena. More than 30 artworks are featured by 11 artists: James Borders, Faustino Caigoy, Anthony Cox, George Evans, Glen Iwasaki, Stuart Iwasaki, Kay Lew, Leo Limon, Collie Lowe, David Monkawa, and Kirk Silsbee.
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Charles White was an American painter, printmaker and teacher known for chronicling African American related subjects in paintings, drawings, lithographs, and murals. One of his bestknown works, The Contribution of the Negro to American Democracy, was completed in 1943 at Hampton University.
In 2021, the university received a grant from African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund to assist with the preservation of the historic mural. Charles White lived in Altadena with his wife and children.
Tutor/Art provided formal fine arts education for high school students, primarily of color, in the Los Angeles area following the Watts riots. The featured artists, now in their 70s, have remained in contact for over 50 years. The exhibition celebrates their transformative experience under White’s tutelage.
According to a spokesperson, “The diversity of the artists’ backgrounds and lifetime trajectory is broad, but they share one thing in common: an enduring love and respect for the man who inspired them to render their unique points of view into visual art.
“The exhibit has special significance in Altadena given that it is the home of Charles White Park, the only public park in California named after an African American visual artist.”
Admission and parking are free. To learn more, visit https://www.altadenalibrary.org/art.