Aaron Douglas at the Frist

Harlem Renaissance artist Aaron Douglas (1889-1979) evoked the history and future of African Americans in his work. Douglas used oils and gouache, a pigment suspended in water, for his illustrations and large-scale paintings. His subjects ranged from celebratory scenes in Southern jazz clubs to dancing in the hot jungles of the Congo.
The Frist Center for the Visual Arts in Nashville, Tenn., is presenting an exhibit of Douglas’ work through April 13, 2008. Museum curator Katie Delmez discusses the artist’s depictions of African American life.