WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of Negro League Baseball EXHIBIT OF ORIGINAL PAINTINGS BY KADIR NELSON
PRESENTED BY MDC AND URGENT, INC.
A Fusion of Art, Sports, History, Books and Community 1. The Art Exhibit 2. Historical Venue 3. History with Negro League 4. WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of Negro League Baseball Art Exhibit 5. Artist Background 6. Exhibit Featured Events 7. Linking Art, History and Community 8. Urgent, Inc. , MDC and Community Partners 9. Exhibition Funding
We Are The Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball Art Exhibit Collection of 42 large oil paintings, sketches and educational materials by critically acclaimed artist Kadir Nelson. We Are the Ship are on a 4 year tour across America through Smith-Kramer Travelling Exhibitions
Nov. 6 to Jan. 8, 2012 at MDC’s Centre Gallery Wolfson Campus
*Exhibit will run during Art Basel 2011 and Miami Book Fair International
MDC Wolfson Campus Centre Art Gallery
Close proximity to a Negro League Baseball Historic landmark, Dorsey Park, the home to the League when touring in Miami
Has the capacity to house this majestic exhibit featuring the art and the book “We are the Ship”.
The New York Times named Kadir Nelson's book, “WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of Negro League Baseball,” one of the Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2008.
The downtown location to the multi-cultural, multi-ethnic Miami Community and being a bridge between the African American and Cuban communities. These communities came together and created the Negro League Baseball.
The close proximity to the community that supported the Negro League Baseball team when in Miami.
The Art Gallery of MDC Wolfson Campus and Miami Book Fair International where Kadir Nelson will be a featured Author/Illustrator.
WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of NEGRO LEAGUE BASEBALL What makes this exhibit so outstanding are the breathtaking oil paintings in their perspectives, rich in emotion, and created with understanding and affection for these lost heroes of our national game. Cuban and Negro League Baseball Players . Came together to PLAY BALL because they were not accepted in the Major Leagues at first. Art is the bridge bringing History, Sports and Communities together.
History of the Art on the Negro League Baseball Nelson spent eight years
researching, writing, and painting his book, WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of Negro League Baseball, which is dedicated to the preservation of the history of Negro Leagues.
The story of the Negro Leagues is
about hundreds of unsung heroes who overcame segregation, hatred, terrible conditions, and low pay to do the one thing they loved more than anything else in the world: play ball.
Major Highlights of Exhibit Events “My focus is to create images of people who demonstrate a sense of hope and nobility. I want to show the strength and integrity of the human being and the human spirit.” Kadir Nelson Thursday -November 3rd • Miami Dade College Grand Opening VIP Reception with Artist, Kadir Nelson. Invitation Only, 6 pm FridayNovember 4th • Grand Opening to the Public. Artist led tours • Artist led Tour of the Exhibit for Youth Saturday -November 6th • Artist led Workshop for Youth
Thursday – November 15th • Miami International Book Fair-Artist Tour, Lecture and Book signing
Exhibit Programming: Linking Art, Sports, History and Community
Services available throughout the 8 week exhibit:
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Exhibition Tours - Twice Daily Cell Phone Tours (Downloadable and #800 number service) Exhibition Workshops - Saturdays
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Take Home Experience Virtual Store
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÷ Featuring:
Kadir Nelson’s books, lithograph prints, Negro League Baseball paraphernalia, Commemorative Sketch books and more.
PUBLIC/EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING Programs for Young Adults
MDCPS Involvement
Urgent, Inc. who is the principal
MDCPS teacher workshops at the
organizer of the exhibition is securing funding for Miami Dade Public Schools to bus in hundreds of middle and high school students for artist led tours and teacher workshops throughout the exhibition period. Artist lecture at NWSA/Wolfson and perhaps other campuses Community involvement Exhibition tours twice dailyvolunteers from Urgent Inc.
Freedom Tower Regularly scheduled tours through MDCPS art educator “Cultural Passport” tours through MDCPS Teacher workshops. An area will be designated for teachers to conduct workshops. All supplies have been either donated by sponsors or funded through grant monies that Urgent, Inc. is securing. Exhibition workshops are on Saturdays
Exhibit Programming: Linking Art, Sports, History and Community Historic Dorsey Park Festival at the “The Dust Bowl� Dorsey Park was home to the Negro League Baseball when touring in Miami. *Dorsey Park Celebrity Game- Little League Teams from all over Miami are invited to come in uniform. *Bus Shuttles to Art Exhibit throughout the day *Free Community Event *Half Time Youth Show *Ole Time Foods and Bazaar *Unveiling of the Youth Mural and Banners * Re-dedication of Historic Dorsey Park *December 10, 2011-12:00 pm to 5:00 pm * Co-Sponsored and Hosted by the Overtown Optimist Little League Baseball.
Exhibit Programming: Linking Art, Sports, History and Community Miami Dade College
Smith Kramer
MDCPS
Historic Dorsey Park community
MDC New World School of the Arts
URGENT, INC
City of Miami Parks and Recreations & Park Rangers
Pepsom Group
Rites of Passage Youth Empowe rment Foundati on
Black Archives History and Research Foundation of South Florida
Urban Tour Host
UM Miller School of Medicine
Carlisle Development Group
Overtown Optimist
Society of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators
MD Dept. of Fire and Rescue
“Miami is it: We Are The Ship Gala” Raising Funds for Educational Social Values
An Evening with the Artist and Book Signing
Presentation of Commemorative Plaque designed by Kadir Nelson for Negro League Baseball Members and VIP’s who are present.
VIP Fundraiser Gala for the underserved Youth and Families.
Urgent, Inc. is a Non-Profit 501(c)3. Tkts. Tax Deductible Donation
Silent Auction including Negro Baseball League Paraphernalia.
Location: Center for Education and Empowerment -CE2, 100 0 NW 1st Av
November 11, 2011, 5 pm to 10 pm
Invited VIP Keynote Speakers
include Marlins, Superintendent of MDCPSAlberto M. Carvalho, School Board Member-Dr. Lawrence Feldman, Arts Collector-Spike and Tonya Lee, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, Dade Community Foundation President-Javier Alberto Soto Proposing performances by the New World School of the Arts’ Gospel, Dance and Jazz Groups.
Exhibit and Event Funding The Miami Is It Gala will generate funds for Urgent Inc., a local organization whose Vision includes: “All people have the social, economic and educational opportunities to thrive” and the following Mission: Empowering young minds to transform their Communities. Urgent, Inc.’s Guiding Principle is:
“to promote shared leadership through empowerment, education and community engagement to create collective well-being”
Their educational initiatives include: Rites of Passage Youth Empowerment Academy, Pregnancy Prevention Project Youth Empowerment Summer Camp Intergenerational Program Youth Empowerment After School Affordable Housing Miami Dade College Motto is: “Opportunity Changes Everything”
Exhibition Funding Operated by Urgent Inc. and primary sources of funding and in-kind services are obtained from:
Revenue from special events tickets and fundraising initiatives
Partners
Corporate sponsors
The exhibit benefits Urgent Inc. A portion of the proceeds are used to cover expenses such as shipping, insurance, security, sanitary facilities, equipment rental, entertainment, advertising and printing costs to make a clean, safe and well-attended experience for patrons and sponsors. The WE ARE THE SHIP exhibit is co-sponsored by Urgent Inc. volunteers and Miami Dade College.
Exhibit Featured on BBC News
BBC World News America reports on WE ARE THE SHIP
We are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball In order to create realistic portrayals of baseball players in action and repose, Nelson served as his own model for each painting, donning sharp suits and authentic replica uniforms while photographing himself posed as each player represented. Unique criteria for each painting demanded individual attention to details and settings; i.e. historically accurate baseball uniform colors and styles, equipment, era costumes, pre and post Depression era city streets, streetcars and trains, sandlot baseball fields in small towns and grand baseball stadiums in big cities. His meticulous process allowed Nelson to put himself into the shoes of a former Negro League player and recreate an authentic depiction of life in the Negro Baseball Leagues.
Above: Nelson posing for Jackie Robinson painting reference photos Below: The finished painting of Jackie Robinson
Artist’s History with Negro League
Recognizing legends
Catching Cosby’s eye
Nelson and Buck O'Neil pose with "Safe at Home," a portrait of Jackie Robinson stealing home under the glove of catcher Quincy Trouppe.
Painting of Kansas City Monarchs manager, Buck O'Neil, hangs in the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
Artist History with the Negro League This is a story of gifted
athletes and determined owners; of racial discrimination and international sportsmanship; of fortunes won and lost; of triumphs and defeats on and off the field. It is a perfect mirror for the social and political history of black America in the first half of the twentieth century.
Nelson meets former Negro League players. (L to R: Walter McCoy, Chicago American Giants; Neal Henderson and John Buck O'Neil, KC Monarchs.
Artist Background
Nelson’s authorial debut, WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of Negro
League Baseball (Jump at the Sun/Disney) New York Times best-selling tribute to the Negro League Baseball Awards earned include: American Library Association Coretta Scott King Award, NAACP Image Award
Artist Background
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?
v=1024082755394
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Started drawing at 3 years old-painting at age 10 painting in oil at 16. Bachelor’s degree with honors from Pratt Institute of Brooklyn, NY. Lead conceptual artist for Steven Spielberg’s movies, “Amistad” and “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron”. Works commissioned for Coca-Cola, The United States Postal Service, Major League Baseball, Sports Illustrated, Nike, NY Times and more. Paintings are found in the collections of notable institutions and museums, including the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the U.S. House of Representatives. Works also found in collections of notable individuals, including Steven Spielberg, Denzel Washington, Will and Jada Smith, Sharon Stone, Spike and Tonya Lee. Gallery Exhibits-Akron Art Museum in Akron Ohio, The Museum of African American History in Detroit, The Smithsonian Anacostia Museum in Washington DC, the Studio Museum in Harlem, New York, The Bristol Museum in England, The Citizen's Gallery of Yokohama, Japan and the Center for Culture of Tijuana, Mexico.
Painting of Shirley Chisholm displayed in U.S. Capital
Negro Leagues Baseball commemorative postal stamps
Michael Jackson album cover 2010.
Artist Background • • •
Illustrated 28 children’s picture books Illustrated Michael Jackson album cover: “Michael”, (2010) MOSES: When Harriet Tubman Led her People to Freedom written by Carol Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Kadir Nelson. ¡
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ELLINGTON WAS NOT A STREET, WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of the Negro League Baseball ¡
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Coretta Scott King awards for each
JUST THE TWO OF US, WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of the Negro League Baseball ¡
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Nelson earned a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award, a Caldecott Honor and an NAACP Image Award for his work on this title.
NAACP Image Awards for each
One of the youngest artists to paint a portrait for US House of Representatives Sketchbook of Barack Obama, published 2009
URGENT Inc. Partners Alliance for Aging City of Miami Florida Department of
Elder Affairs Miami-Dade County The Children’s Trust Women’s Fund of Miami-Dade County Overtown Optimist
Urgent Inc. in partnership with Miami Dade College presents WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of Negro League Baseball by critically acclaimed artists Kadir Nelson When: November 5, 2011- January 9, 2012 Community Connection: Dorsey Park AKA The Dustbowl
CONTACT US:
Emily Gunter, Special Events Coordinator Urgent, Inc. 1600 NW 3rd Ave, Bldg. D Miami, FL 33136 (305) 915-3195 cell (305) 576-3084 ofc. (866) 811-7778 fax emily@urgentinc.org www.urgentinc.org