The Brooklyn Museum is currently exhibiting the first major retrospective of Elizabeth Catlett’s career. Catlett’s only public commissioned work sought to honor author Ralph Ellison in Riverside Park near where he and his wife Fanny lived. The efforts of Harlem residents in partnership with the Riverside Park Conservancy resulted in the funding for the Ralph Ellison Memorial and the selection of artist Elizabeth Catlett’s sculpture “Invisible Man.” Join us on Sunday, November 24, for free events to explore the history and context of the memorial’s creation.
Catlett: Public Art in Context
2pm – American Academy of Arts and Letters | 633 West 155th Street
Join Mr. Reddick and panelists for an informative discussion of the Ellison Memorial in the context of Catlett’s career, engagement with the Harlem community, and identity as an artist. Panelists include:
- Catlett scholar, Dalila Scruggs, Augusta Savage Curator of African American Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum
- The Ellison memorial project’s landscape architect, Ken Smith, Founder of Ken Smith Workshop
- Francisco Mora, Jr., son of Elizabeth Catlett
Guests are also encouraged to explore the exhibitions on view at Arts and Letters. They will be open to the public until 6pm.
View information about our other event Ralph Ellison Historical Walking Tour
