Juan Logan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Juan Logan
Born	Juan Logan (1946-08-16) August 16, 1946 (age 78) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Known for	Conceptual art, multimedia art, painting, sculpture, installation
Awards	Fellowships from the John Michael Kohler Arts Center, North Carolina Arts Council, the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, the Rutgers Center for Innovative Print and Paper, the Carolina Postdoctoral Scholars Fellowship, and the Phillip Morris Companies

Juan Logan (born August 16, 1946) is an American artist from Nashville, Tennessee. He creates paintings, sculptures, and art installations. His art often shows his experiences with race and power in the Southern United States. He wants people to think about their role in society.

Early Life and Family

Juan Logan was born in Nashville, Tennessee. His father, John Louie Logan, was a minister. His mother, Madge Sarah Jane Grier, was a teacher. In 1949, his family moved to Marion, North Carolina. This was his father's hometown. His father passed away that same year.

His mother remarried in 1950. Four years later, they moved to Belmont, North Carolina. This was his mother's hometown. Juan and his family moved into a new house. His grandfather, James W.W. Grier, helped build it.

Discovering Art

Juan Logan became interested in art in 1960. He was attending Reid High School at the time. This was the black high school in Belmont.

Growing up, his family valued making things themselves. His stepfather and grandfather were very good at it. They were proud to find creative ways to build objects. This was instead of buying them. This idea of self-sufficiency was very important to Juan.

College and Art Studies

After high school, Juan Logan went to Howard University in Washington, D.C.. He first planned to study science. But he soon realized his true interest was art. At Howard, he learned from famous artists. These included James A. Porter and Lois Mailou Jones. They helped him develop his artistic skills.

Later, Logan studied art at Clark College. Floyd Coleman was the head of the art department. He greatly supported Juan. Coleman's art dealt with political issues directly. This inspired Juan to explore social and political topics in his own work. He learned to use color, images, and symbols to share his ideas. These elements are still important in his art today.

Military Service and Art

In 1967, Logan joined the United States Air Force. He worked as a jet engine mechanic. He served during the Vietnam War. His time in the military deeply shaped his art. It made him think about American society and politics. Some of his early paintings, like I Am Black, show these ideas.

Logan chose to use abstract art. He felt it allowed him to explore ideas more broadly. This was different from realistic art. In 1998, he earned his master's degree (MFA). He studied painting and mixed-media sculpture. This was at the Maryland Institute College of Art.

Art Career and Projects

Juan Logan not only creates his own art. He also helps restore other artists' works. He is the Conservation Manager at the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Project. There, he restored 31 large sculptures. These were made by artist Vollis Simpson. They are located in Wilson, North Carolina.

Logan was also a professor of studio art. He taught at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. He is now retired from teaching.

He was chosen to help design the North Carolina Freedom Monument Project. This will be a public park in Raleigh.

Exhibitions and Collections

Juan Logan has had many solo art shows. His art has been shown in cities like:

• New Orleans, at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art
• Miami, at N'Namdi Contemporary
• Greensboro, North Carolina, at the Weatherspoon Art Museum
• Charlotte, North Carolina, at the Gantt Center
• Washington D.C., at The World Bank
• New York, at the June Kelly Gallery

In 2001, Logan was an Artist-in-Residence. This was at the McColl Center for Art + Innovation in Charlotte, NC.

His artwork is also part of many important collections. These include:

• Whitney Museum of American Art
• Philadelphia Museum of Art
• National Museum of African Art
• Mint Museum of Art
• Baltimore Museum of Art
• The Art in Embassies Program in Togo and South Africa

Logan also received support from the Pollination Project. This was for his traveling Waiting Project. His work was also featured in the REMIX exhibition. This show was at the Columbia Museum of Art in 2016.

Personal Life

Juan Logan lives in Belmont, North Carolina. He is married to Jonell Logan, who is a curator.