The Biggs Museum is preparing ‘The Biggs Five’ to highlight Black History Month in downtown Dover.
‘The Biggs Five’ was inspired by Delawarean Dom Albi’s 1971 documentary ‘The Five’, a poignant exploration into the lives and artistic journeys of five distinguished artists: Barbara Chase Riboud, Charles White, Romare Bearden, Richard Hunt, and Betty Blayton.
The museum plans to spotlight five prominent Black artists. ‘The Biggs Five’ program includes Elizabeth Catlett, Samuel Joseph Brown, Jr., ‘Big’ Tom Burton and Mickalene Thomas and Edward L. Loper.
Biggs Marketing Director Kerri Lacey says special docent tours offer insights on these artists, their techniques, and their cultural significance.
"These are facilitated by a volunteer group from Dover called the Dover Delaware Chapter of The Links, Inc. Their mission is to insure the culture and economic survival of the African American and those of African American ancestry."
Lacey adds that the first weekend in February offers free admission, and features a Saturday event for children that highlights a First State artist.
"Edward Loper, Jr, was a local Delaware artist, who just recently passed away, and we’re doing this sort of inspired by his works, so children could make a portrait using pastels, mirroring his works, to say who would be their best friends, who they would surround themselves, known as their Breakfast Club, who they sit with and enjoy as their favorite people."
The Biggs also offers free admission each Sunday in February between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., with "The Biggs Five" tours at 2 p.m.
The Biggs will cap the month Feb. 29th with "Leaps & Bounds: Contemporary Black Artists”, hosted by DSU Art Professor Lori Crawford.
Delaware Public Media' s arts coverage is made possible, in part, by support from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
