Join us as we explore Romare Bearden’s influence on visual storytelling and his representation on film. The event will celebrate the WPI Digital Archives’ release of A/V footage from the Romare Bearden Foundation’s collection. Filmmakers Deborah Riley Draper and Nelson Breen will participate in a conversation, moderated by Dr. Camara Holloway.
The newly released audio recordings and footage range from professional interviews recorded by national broadcast channels to intimate home videos capturing Bearden in his studio or at exhibition openings in St. Martin. Spanning from the 1970s to the mid-1990s, this series features exclusive interviews with Bearden, as well as discussions with many artist friends and colleagues.
In (re)viewing select material from this collection, Draper and Breen’s conversation will consider how filmmakers have approached documenting Bearden’s life and work, how the artist has been portrayed on screen, and how the archives help preserve Bearden’s legacy.
Reception and viewing of the exhibition, Romare Bearden: Paris Blues/Jazz and Other Works, to follow.
This event is free and open to the public, but your RSVP is required. Seating is available on a first-come, first-serve basis.