Finalizing last weeks work on the George Washington exhibition I was joined this week by a fellow intern. Together we began the research process on an upcoming gallery that was to house works from prominent African American artists. The two artists that the museum asked us to conduct research on were Romare Bearden and Jacob Lawrence. I received Lawrence as my artist to research and began the research project.
The gallery, when it opens, will be showing two pieces by Lawrence specifically, The Prayer and Other Rooms. To begin my research I had to write an extensive biography on the life, influences, and artistic/historical culture that helped to mold Lawrence. Following the biography I had to round up books written by artists and researchers on Lawrence and add them to an artist’s document. Next I took the two pieces that were slated to be displayed and wrote descriptions for them, so that the gallery has a more user-friendly option for those who are visually impaired.