The University of Cambridge has received a significant donation from renowned African American artist Kerry James Marshall. Marshall has generously donated his first formal portrait of a living person to the university, depicting Henry Louis “Skip” Gates Jr., a notable alumnus of Clare College. The portrait was unveiled on Monday and is now on public display at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. This powerful piece of art marks Gates’ receipt of an honorary degree from Cambridge in recognition of his remarkable achievements as an author, scholar, historian, and filmmaker.
It is noteworthy that Marshall’s portrait of Gates is only the second artwork by the acclaimed artist to be showcased in a public institution in the United Kingdom. Both Marshall and Gates were present at the unveiling, and it was an emotionally significant moment for Gates, as he saw the finished artwork for the first time.
Originally intended to hang in Clare College, the portrait took a different path due to its creator’s reputation. Gates mentioned that the college realized that a work by Kerry James Marshall should not be displayed in a common room where students may potentially damage it. This decision led to its current placement at the Fitzwilliam Museum, ensuring its safety and visibility.
Henry Louis Gates Jr., also known as Skip, has a unique connection to Clare College as one of only three black male students when he arrived there 50 years ago. He embarked on his educational journey with the intention of becoming a doctor but ultimately shifted his focus to studying English literature. Gates specialized in African American literature and currently serves as the director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University.
Aside from his academic pursuits, Gates has been actively engaged in important battles involving public institutions. One such battle centers around the issue of “pernicious censorship” in Florida, where the state blocked a course on African American history intended for high school students. The other concerns a recent supreme court ruling against affirmative action at Harvard and the University of North Carolina. Gates firmly believes that conservative forces are seeking to undermine the progress made by black Americans, attempting to roll back the clock on equality and opportunities.
Kerry James Marshall’s donation to the University of Cambridge holds immense significance, as it represents the convergence of artistic expression and recognition of outstanding intellectual contributions. Marshall, whose painting “Past Times” sold for a staggering $21.1 million in 1997, firmly established himself as one of the highest-paid African American artists. The buyer of the artwork was none other than the well-known rapper Sean Combs, also known as P Diddy.
Marshall’s portrait of Gates, aptly named “Henry Louis Gates Jr. 2020,” captures the subject seated at a table in front of a window, featuring an Emmy award and a small stack of Gates’ books, including “The Signifying Monkey” and “Wonders of the African World.” When asked about his choice of books for the portrait, Marshall simply explained that he had them in his personal library.
It is worth mentioning that Marshall’s impact goes beyond portraiture. Last month, the Washington National Cathedral replaced stained glass windows featuring Confederate generals with two new windows created by Marshall. These windows symbolize the values of justice, fairness, and the ongoing struggle for equality. Marshall charged a fee of $18.65 for this commission, which serves as a symbolic reference to 1865, the year when the last enslaved African Americans were freed at the end of the Civil War.
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