the Paul R Jones collection of African American art

David Hammons (b.1943) creates art that forcees viewers to confront cultural stereotypes and racial issues. He has made art out of the debris of African American life since the early 1970s, using culturally loaded materials such as grease, hair, barbecued ribs, cheap wine bottles, and basketball hoops, often on city streets and in vacant lots rather than in art galleries. His approach to art and art making can be seen as a direct descendent of both the Arte Povera and Dadaist movements of the early 20th century.

Hammons has exhibited in the Venice Bienalle, the Whitney Biennial, and in galleries and museums in the United States, Europe and Japan, although rarely in New York. His installation at the Ace Gallery in November 2002 was greeted with critical acclaim as well as derision. David Hammons is a recipient of the MacArthur Foundation "Genius Award".



SPADE 1974 screen print
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*LINKS* The Walker A profile of the artist from The New Yorker magazine www.newyorker.com Basketball Drawing From the Albright-Knox Gallery www.albrightknox.com Mood Swing An exhibition curated by David Hammons www.findarticles.com
						David Hammons 1986 An interview / manifesto www.brown.edu The Door An educational presentation from The Getty Museum www.getty.edu David Hammons A list of European exhibitions with links and more images www.artfacts.net