Aesthetic Dynamics, Inc. Presents: Afro-American Images 1971

Abstract

Abstract In February 1971, the artist collective Aesthetic Dynamics, Inc. presented its first major undertaking: an exhibition of over 130 works of art by 66 artists. Organized as a memorial to the late James A. Porter, Afro-American Images 1971 was presented at the National Guard Armory in Wilmington, Delaware. Many of the artists who participated in the show were well-established nationally; however, the location and inclusion of many artists known only to the local community resulted in the marginalization of this significant exhibition. In 2021, the Delaware Art Museum will restage the exhibition as a collaborative curatorial partnership with past and currents members of Aesthetic Dynamics, Inc. in an effort to counter this historical amnesia. Restaging as a curatorial methodology is a constructive means through which to aid in the recovery of the 1971 project, its archival record and its significance locally and nationally.