Collecting Your Legacy: A Conversation on Art

How many pieces of art does it take to build a collection? What is the value of the art on my walls? If you have ever asked these questions, then you’ll want to hear about the art of collecting from art collector Darryl Atwell. Atwell returns to Charlotte for an intimate conversation with Spelman College curator and art historian Dr. Andrea Barnwell Brownlee about the ins and outs of creating a noteworthy art collection.

This program is designed for those who don’t know where to start and those with burgeoning collections. Join us for a rare look at the process and a first-hand view of one of the nation’s most impressive arrays of collected works.

The Collector: Darryl Atwell

Atwell, who lives in Washington, D.C., has been collecting art for over a decade while simultaneously developing relationships with the artists in his collection. He shies away from the title 'art collector' and considers himself more of a purveyor of culture or a steward of cultural capital. Atwell developed a love for collecting while residing in Cleveland, where he began attending events at the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Malcolm Brown Gallery as a social outlet. Realizing that it would be cost-prohibitive to purchase works by master artists early in his career, Atwell turned his attention to younger, contemporary artists who were similar to him in age. This shift made the art more accessible and provided an opportunity for Atwell to create exposure for these up-and-coming artists.

*Light refreshments will be served. Seating is limited to ensure a personal experience.

The Art Historian: Andrea Barnwell Brownlee, Ph.D.

Andrea Barnwell Brownlee, Ph.D. is an art historian, curator, writer, and the Director of the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art. She is widely recognized for her leadership, ambitious vision, and the impactful exhibition agenda that she has established at Spelman College. Dr. Brownlee is the recipient of the 2013 David C. Driskell Prize in African American Art and Art History. She has also received several other academic, professional, and scholarly awards including a MacArthur Curatorial Fellowship in the Department of Modern and Contemporary Art at The Art Institute of Chicago (1998 – 2000), a Future Women Leadership Award from Art Table (2005), the President’s Award from the Women’s Caucus for Art (2005), and the inaugural Nexus Award from the Atlanta Contemporary Arts Center (2010). Dr. Brownlee, an alumna of Spelman College, earned her Ph.D. in Art History from Duke University in 2001.In the spring of 2012, Cinema Remixed & Reloaded: Black Women Artists and the Moving Image Since 1970, which she curated with Valerie Cassel Oliver, senior Curator at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, earned international recognition when it was featured in the 11th Havana Biennial. This achievement marks the first time that a curatorial team from the United States was invited to participate in the official program of the Havana Biennial—the longest running international biennial dedicated to presenting works of art from Latin America, Asia, and Africa.