Kay Brown (artist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kay Brown
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| Born | 1932 |
| Died | 2012 (aged 79–80) |
| Known for | Painting Printmaking Collage |
| Movement | Black Arts Movement |
Kay Brown (1932-2012) was an African American artist and writer. She was the first woman to join the Weusi Artist Collective. This group was based in Harlem during the 1960s and 1970s. The word "Weusi" means "blackness" in Swahili. The collective started in 1965 and was only for men at first.
Because she was the only woman in the group, Kay Brown wanted to help other Black female artists. She is known as one of the founders of the Where We At Black women artists' collective in New York City. Brown's art often showed important issues affecting Black communities around the world. She used mixed media collages and prints to share her messages. Her work was shown in a special exhibition called "We Wanted a Revolution" at the Brooklyn Museum.
Kay Brown's Career
In the spring of 1971, Kay Brown teamed up with fiber artist Dindga McCannon. Together, they created the group called "Where We At" Black Women Artists, Inc. (WWA). This organization used art to talk about important social topics. These included relationships between Black men and women, African traditions, and the Black family.
Kay Brown also wrote books. She published a young adult novel called Willy's Summer Dream in 1989. This book was inspired by her only son's life. Her son also inspired her etching called "Black Mother and Male Child." Brown worked at Medgar Evers College. She was also an assistant professor at Anne Arundel Community College from 1989 to 1990.
You can find information about Kay Brown in the Evans-Tibbs Collection. This collection is part of the National Gallery of Art Library. Her picture is also in a famous 1972 poster. It's called Some Living American Women Artists by Mary Beth Edelson.
Her Artworks
Kay Brown was a printmaker who focused on social and political topics. She shared stories and experiences from the Black community through her art. Brown also used large collages to express her ideas.
- The Black Soldier, 1969 — This artwork was inspired by the Vietnam War. Many Black men were drafted or volunteered for this war from 1955 to 1975. Brown put Martin Luther King Jr. in the center of the piece. Black soldiers surround his image. She wanted to show that the soldiers didn't always know why they were fighting. She also wanted to show that Black soldiers were often seen as just numbers. To support her message, she included an image of a man from the Black Panther Party. This showed that the Black community needed to protect itself.
- Willowbrook, 1972 — In this print, Brown showed a sad scene. She used lines to create a feeling of being trapped. The window in the art shows the loneliness people felt when they were in mental health facilities. Willowbrook was a mental institution known for treating its residents badly in the 1970s.
- First Kick of Life (Color etching and aquatint on paper, circa 1974) — This artwork is part of the Brooklyn Museum's collection.
- Black Mother and Male Child (Etching and aquatint on cream woven paper, 1974–1975) — Brown used many different lines in this etching. This makes the art feel active and textured. It shows a mother lovingly hugging her son, full of warm worry.
- Everytime I Feel the Spirit (Etching, 1979) — This piece was shown in an exhibition called Transformations: Women in Art 70's-80's. It was at the New York Coliseum in March 1981.
- The Devil and His Game (Collage, 1968) — This artwork was shown in an exhibition called Tradition and Conflict: Images of a Turbulent Decade, 1963-1973. It was at the Studio Museum in Harlem from January to June 1985.
- Sister Alone in a Rented Room
- Meditation
Exhibitions
Kay Brown's art has been shown in many exhibitions. You can find her work in different galleries and museums.
- Blackness in Color: Visual Expressions of the Black Arts Movement, 1960-Present, Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, August–October, 2000
- Transformations: Women in Art 70's-80's, New York Coliseum, March 5–9, 1981
- We Wanted a Revolution: Black Radical Women, 1965-85, Brooklyn Museum, April 21-September, 2017
- We Wanted a Revolution: Black Radical Women, 1965-85, California African American Museum, October 13, 2017 - January 14, 2018
- We Wanted a Revolution: Black Radical Women, 1965-85, Albright-Knox Gallery, February 17, 2018 - May 27, 2018
- Arroyo Arts Collective: Discovery Arts Pop-Up, Los Angeles, Nov 10,2018 - Dec 01,2018
