Joe Minter facts for kids

Joe Minter (born March 28, 1943) is an American sculptor from Birmingham, Alabama. He creates amazing sculptures from old metal and other found items. His special art space, called African Village in America, is in Birmingham. It tells the story of African American history, from the very first Africans who came to America.

Joe Minter's artworks have been shown in big art museums across the United States. You can find his pieces in famous places like the National Gallery of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Joe Minter's Early Life

Joe Minter was born in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1943. He was one of ten children in his family. His father was a mechanic during World War I. But after the war, he could not find a job in that field. Instead, Joe's father worked for 30 years taking care of a cemetery.

Joe went to school in Birmingham. In 1965, he joined the military and served until 1967. After leaving the military, Joe worked many different jobs. He was a dishwasher, a messenger, and even worked in a hospital. He also worked with metals, built school furniture, and helped build roads.

During the 1960s and 70s, Joe got tiny asbestos dust in his eyes from his work. Doctors operated on one eye to help. But Joe decided not to have surgery on his other eye. He always felt a gritty feeling in his eyes. This made him stop working and retire. After retiring, Joe started making art again, something he had loved since he was a child.

Joe Minter's Art and Creations

The African Village in America

Joe Minter's most famous artwork is his African Village in America. He started building it in the late 1980s. It is located in Birmingham, Alabama. This special place is like a sculpture garden, a history museum, and a memorial all in one.

The African Village in America is always changing. Joe makes sculptures from all sorts of old and found items. He uses old shoes, toys, sports gear, and even baking tools! His main goal is to honor the 388,000 Africans who were brought to America as slaves. He also wants to recognize their descendants who helped build and protect America.

The sculptures in the African Village in America tell many stories. They show the history of African Americans over hundreds of years. You can see art about West African storytellers (called griots) and warriors. There are also sculptures about important events, like the sad 1963 bombing at the 16th Street Baptist Church.

Two images of Joe Minter's African Village in America. This amazing art space is in Birmingham, Alabama. The sculptures show African warriors, tributes to black scientists, and scenes from the Civil Rights Movement.

Art Exhibitions

Joe Minter's art has been shown in many important exhibitions. Here are some of them:

• 2022 – Called to Create: Black Artists of the American South – National Gallery of Art
• 2019 – Whitney Biennial – Whitney Museum of American Art
• 2018 – History Refused to Die: Highlights from the Souls Grown Deep Foundation Gift – Metropolitan Museum of Art
• 2018 – Revelations: Art from the African American South – de Young Museum, San Francisco, CA
• 2018 – Joe Minter: Once That River Starts to Flow – Atlanta Contemporary, Atlanta, Georgia
• 2017 – The Road Less Traveled Exhibition Series. American Sites: Art Environment Photography – The John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI
• 2015 – History Refused to Die – Alabama Contemporary Art Center, Mobile, AL
• 2014 – When Stars Begin to Fall: Imagination and the American South – Studio Museum in Harlem, New York
• 2007 – Alabama Folk Art – Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham, Alabama
• 2004 – Coming Home: Self-Taught Artists, the Bible, and the American South – Art Museum of the University of Memphis, Memphis, TN

Permanent Art Collections

Many museums have Joe Minter's art as part of their permanent collections. This means his artworks are kept there all the time for people to see.

• National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
• Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
• Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.
• Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
• High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA
• Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham, AL
• Minneapolis Institute of Art