James Dupree facts for kids

Quick facts for kids James Dupree
Born	1950 (age 74–75) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Alma mater	Columbus College of Art and Design, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, University of Pennsylvania
Known for	Painting; arts education; activism

James Dupree (born 1950) is an American artist, teacher, and activist. He has received many special awards and opportunities to work as an artist in different places like Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, and Wales. One of his awards is the Living Legend Award from the Black Alumni Society of the University of Pennsylvania.

From 2012 to 2014, Dupree's art studio in West Philadelphia faced a big challenge. The city wanted to take his studio using a law called eminent domain. But James Dupree fought back, and he won, keeping his studio.

Becoming an Artist

James Dupree was born in 1950 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He spent parts of his childhood in different cities like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. When he was a child, he took free art classes at the Fleisher Art Memorial in Philadelphia.

He earned a full scholarship to the Columbus College of Art and Design, where he got his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1972. Later, he studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the University of Pennsylvania. He was one of the first African Americans to graduate from the University of Pennsylvania's Master of Fine Arts program in 1977.

Dupree's Artworks

Dupree's art has been shown in many exhibitions, both by himself and with other artists. He recently had shows like Works From The Stolen Dreams And Forbidden Fruit Series in Philadelphia (2015) and Stolen Dreams in the Promise Zone at Stockton University (2015).

He is known for using many different materials in his art, like glass and wood. He also uses bright and lively colors. His art often mixes painting, collage, printmaking, and drawing, creating abstract pieces that don't show real-life objects.

Where You Can See His Art

Dupree's artworks are part of the permanent collections in several museums. These include the Columbus Museum of Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the African American Museum in Philadelphia. You can also find his art at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and the Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia.

His work is also in the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York and the National Museum of Art in Cardiff, Wales. Many private art collectors, including famous people like Patti LaBelle, also own his pieces.

Art in Public Spaces

James Dupree has been involved with the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. He created a beautiful mural near Temple University to honor the poet and teacher Sonia Sanchez. His mural called "Evolving Elements" was also displayed at the Philadelphia International Airport.

He has even designed sets for the Shooting Stars, one of Philadelphia's Mummers Fancy Brigades. The Shooting Stars won first place in 2008 and 2009 using Dupree's amazing sets. Because of his great work, they even gave him the nickname "King James."

In 2015, Dupree's art was featured in an exhibition called We Speak: Black Artists in Philadelphia, 1920s-1970s at the Woodmere Art Museum.

Awards and Residencies

Dupree has received many awards and fellowships throughout his career. He has also been an artist-in-residence at several places. This means he was invited to live and create art there for a period.

Some of these places include the Contemporary Arts Center in North Adams, MA, and the African American Museum in Philadelphia. He also worked at the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff, Wales, and the Studio Museum in Harlem in New York. In 2010, he received the Living Legend Award from the Black Alumni Society of the University of Pennsylvania.

The Studio Dispute

Dupree Studios is located in the Mantua community of West Philadelphia. In 2005, James Dupree bought an old warehouse for $183,000. He spent a lot more money and time fixing it up and turning it into his home, teaching space, and art studio.

The studio is a large space, about 8,646 square feet. It holds more than 5,000 of Dupree's artworks. The property is now worth much more than he paid for it.

The City's Plan

On December 27, 2012, the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority (PRA) tried to take ownership of Dupree's studio. They used a law called eminent domain, which allows the government to take private property for public use, even if the owner doesn't want to sell.

The PRA wanted to tear down Dupree's studio and build a grocery store and parking lot instead. They first offered him $600,000 for his property. The Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas supported the PRA's plan in 2013 and again in 2014. Many people thought the PRA's actions were "unfair" and "unjust."

Dupree Fights Back

James Dupree decided to fight the city's decision with help from the Institute for Justice. Many groups supported him, including the ACLU and the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program.

On December 11, 2014, the Redevelopment Authority announced that they were stopping their efforts to take his studio. This meant James Dupree got to keep his land and his beloved studio. Dupree said, "I didn't just win. We all won. America wins with this."

Documentary Film

From 2011 to 2014, two American filmmakers, Tyrone Brown and Joe Sapienza II, worked on a documentary about James Dupree. They combined their two films into one feature film called "Broken Dreams 'The Man I Always Wanted to Be'". It was released in November 2015 in Philadelphia.

The film shows Dupree's art, his life, and his fight against the city over eminent domain. It also includes interviews with people from the Mantua neighborhood. The filmmakers captured the important moments of Dupree's battle with city hall. The documentary shows Dupree in happier times after he won his studio back.