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'Black Art' Chronicles A Pivotal Exhibition And Its Lasting Impact On Black Artists

A 1976 exhibit of art created by African Americans was the first major show by a Black curator and serves as a starting point for the HBO documentary Black Art: In the Absence of Light.
Amy Sherald, who painted the official portrait of Michelle Obama, appeared in the film <em>Black Art: In the Absence of Light.</em>

Central to the new documentary Black Art: In the Absence of Light is a pivotal art exhibition that debuted in 1976.

"Two Centuries of Black American Art" was the first major show by a Black curator to look at the history of art produced by African Americans. Covering the period between 1750 and 1950, it featured 200 works and 63 artists, with painting, sculpture, drawing, graphics, crafts and decorative arts.

When it went on display at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in the fall of 1976, it drew unprecedented crowds for an exhibit of American art.

"I think what it

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