Andrea Barnwell Brownlee facts for kids

Andrea Barnwell Brownlee is an American art expert who helps organize art shows (called a curator) and writes books. She is currently the leader (CEO) of the Cummer Museum. Before that, she was the director of the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art. Andrea is known for helping people discover amazing female African-American artists. She has written four books about different artists.

Early Life and Learning

Andrea Brownlee was born in Alexandria, Virginia. Her dad used to be an officer in the Army. In 1989, she started college at Spelman College. There, she studied English and art. When she was in her third year of college, she even studied abroad at the University of Essex in England. She continued her studies, earning a master's degree in art history from Duke University in 1997. She then earned her Ph.D. in art history in 2001.

Her Career in Art

Andrea Brownlee was working at The Art Institute of Chicago when Spelman College asked her to lead their new Museum of Fine Art. At first, she said no. But later, in 2001, she decided to accept the job as director. In December 2020, Andrea joined the Cummer Museum of Art. She became their George W. and Kathleen I. Gibbs Director and Chief Executive Officer.

Books She Has Written

Andrea Brownlee has written four books about art. Her first book was Charles White: The David C. Driskell Series of African American Art, Volume I. This book looked closely at the life of Charles White, an important African-American artist from the 1900s.

In 2005, she wrote Amalia Amaki: Boxes, Buttons, and the Blues. This book was about the artist Amalia Amaki and modern African-American art. Later, in 2008, she wrote Cinema Remixed & Reloaded: Black Women Artists and the Moving Image Since 1970. This book explored the work of African-American women in film. It was also based on one of her art shows.

Art Exhibitions She Has Curated

Andrea Brownlee often works with other artists to create her exhibitions. She loves to introduce new artists to more people. In 2009, she worked with Karen Comer Lowe on an exhibition called Undercover: Performing and Transforming Black Female Identities. This show was held at the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art. It explored why some Black women artists might hide or change how they show themselves in their art.

In 2016, she helped create the exhibition AFRICA FORECAST: Fashioning Contemporary Life. She worked with Erika Dalya Massaquoi on this project. This show focused on art that shares the history and feelings of African women about clothes and fashion. The exhibition based on her book Cinema Remixed and Reloaded was shown at the Havana Biennial. This was the first time a team of curators from the United States was invited to this event.

Awards and Special Recognitions

Andrea Brownlee has received several awards for her work. In 2005, she won the Women's Caucus for Art Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2013, she received the David C. Driskell Prize. This award recognized her great work in promoting African-American art and its history. In 2015, she was given the James A. Porter Award for her continued efforts in this field. In 2018, Atlanta Magazine named her the "Best Curator of the Year."

Selected Works

• Charles White: The David C. Driskell Series of African American Art, Volume I
• Amalia Amaki: Boxes, Buttons, and the Blues
• Cinema Remixed & Reloaded: Black Women Artists and the Moving Image Since 1970