Houston Conwill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Houston Conwill
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Houston Conwill in 1974, Washington D.C.
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| Born | April 2, 1947 |
| Died | November 14, 2016 (aged 69) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Howard University University of Southern California |
| Occupation | Artist |
| Years active | 1971–2016 |
Houston Eugene Conwill (born April 2, 1947 – died November 14, 2016) was an American artist. He was famous for creating large art pieces, often sculptures, that were displayed in public places. Conwill worked as a sculptor, painter, and conceptual artist. His art often explored and celebrated the spiritual side of life. He also honored African-American artists, activists, and thinkers. The Studio Museum in Harlem said his art was a "lasting monument to black culture."
Contents
Early Life and School
Houston Eugene Conwill was born in Louisville, Kentucky, on April 2, 1947. His mother, Mary Luella Herndon, was a teacher. His father, Giles Adolph Conwill, was a waiter. Houston was the third of their six children. His father passed away when Houston was young. His grandmother, Estella Houston, helped raise him. He was named after her.
Conwill grew up in the Catholic Church. His mother worked at a private school for mostly Black students. His sister, Estella Conwill Majozo, is a writer, poet, and professor. One of his brothers, Giles Conwill, became a priest. For a short time as a teenager, Houston lived in a monastery in St. Meinrad, Indiana.
In 1966, Conwill joined the Air Force. He served for three years until 1970. After that, he went to Howard University to study art. At Howard, he learned from famous artists like Sam Gilliam and Lois Mailou Jones. He also saw many traditional African art pieces in the university's gallery. In 1971, during his first student art show, Conwill started making art with canvases stretched over pyramid shapes. This pyramid idea became a common theme in his future work.
Conwill graduated from Howard in 1973. He then moved to California with his wife, Kinshasha Holman Conwill, who also studied art at Howard. Houston went on to get his master's degree from the University of Southern California.
Family Life
Houston Conwill married Karen Holman in 1971. They had a special Ghanaian ceremony at the Metropolitan Baptist Church in Washington D.C. Houston Conwill passed away on November 14, 2016, from prostate cancer.
Amazing Artworks by Houston Conwill
Conwill created many important art pieces. His work often combined different ideas and symbols.
The Cakewalk Humanifesto
In 1989, Conwill made an art piece for the Museum of Modern Art called The Cakewalk Humanifesto: A Cultural Libation. It featured a frame made of etched glass. This frame looked like the beautiful round windows you see in old churches. Words and maps were carved into the glass. These designs projected patterns onto the gallery floor. The artwork also included a table with a book of letters written by his sister, Estella. Readings of these letters were part of the art show.
Rivers: A Tribute to Langston Hughes
One of Conwill's most famous works is a floor design at the New York Public Library's Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. This floor, made of terrazzo and brass, was revealed in 1992. It honors the famous poet Langston Hughes. Hughes's ashes are actually buried in a book-shaped container within the design.
The artwork is called Rivers. This name comes from Hughes's poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers." The design includes symbols from Yoruba, Haitian voodou, and Christian traditions. Conwill worked with his sister, Estella, and architect Joseph De Pace on this special piece.
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Arc: A Sculpture of Memory and Vision
In 1986, Conwill created Arc, a large sculpture for the entrance of York College, CUNY. This artwork is 26 feet wide. It is made of metals, sometimes called "African brass," set into concrete. The surface has many symbols inlaid, or set into it. These symbols were created using a technique called arc spraying. This is where melted metal wires are sprayed onto the surface.
Arc has turned a teal green color over time, similar to the Statue of Liberty. This color change happens when metal reacts with air. The artwork also includes three metal circles set into the pavement nearby. Each circle has one word repeated twice in capital letters: ‘MEMORY’, ‘VISION’, and ‘IMAGINATION’. Each circle is divided into four parts. These lines remind us of Yowa, a Kongo symbol for the never-ending cycle of life. Many symbols in Arc show how African culture has stayed strong in the United States. As the sun moves, the shadow of Arc shifts across these metal circles on the ground.
Where to See His Art
You can find Conwill's art in the permanent collections of several important museums. These include the Museum of Modern Art in New York. His work is also at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C. Other places are the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles and the Studio Museum in Harlem.
List of Key Artworks
- The Joyful Mysteries (1984–2034 A.D.) (1984) at the Studio Museum in Harlem, New York
- Arc (1986) at York College, CUNY, New York
- The Open Secret (1986) at the 125th Street subway station, New York
- The Cakewalk Humanifesto: A Cultural Libation (1989) at MOMA, New York
- Poets Rise (1989) outside the Joseph P. Addabbo Federal Building, Jamaica, Queens, New York
- Rivers (1992) at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, New York
- Du Sable’s Journey (1991), with Estella Majoza and Joseph De Pace, in the Harold Washington Library, Chicago
- Revelation (1993), also known as the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, with Estella Majoza and Joseph De Pace, at Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco
- New Calypso (1994), with Estella Conwill Majoza and Joseph De Pace, in Park West Station, Miami
- The New Ring Shout (1995), in the Ted Weiss Federal Building (near the African Burial Ground National Monument), New York
Exhibitions and Awards
Houston Conwill's art was shown in many special exhibitions.
Special Art Shows
- 1976 JuJu, The Gallery, Los Angeles
- 1981 Easter Shout!, PS1, New York
- 1986 Houston Conwill: The Passion of St. Matthew—Painting and Sculpture, Alternative Museum, New York
- 1990 Houston Conwill: Project Series, Museum of Modern Art, New York
Awards and Honors
Conwill received several important awards for his artistic achievements:
- 1982 John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation fellowship
- 1984 Prix de Rome
- 1987 Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation award
