AfriCOBRA 1: Ten in Search of a Nation: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A double-sided broadsheet poster for the exhibition “AfriCOBRA 1: Ten in Search of a Nation” at the Studio Museum in Harlem. The broadsheet is printed in black ink on light brown paper.

The front side of the sheet features a depiction of the African continent with superimposed images of artworks by the ten artists in the exhibition. The ten artworks surround a group portrait photograph of the artists, one of whom holds a small child on his hip. To the left of the image, in a hand-lettered design, is [AFRICOBRA 1 / ten in search of a nation]. In the lower left corner, in small typewritten black print, is [AFRICOBRA – AFRICAN COMMUNE OF BAD RELEVANT ARTISTS] followed by two paragraphs on the collective and the exhibition, explained as “Poster art. Images designed for mass production. Inexpensive. We want everybody to have some.” At the bottom right, larger black text provides the location and dates for the show: [Studio Museum in Harlem / 2033 Fifth Ave. Between 125th and 126th / Harlem, New York / June 21 thru august 30th 1970 / OPENING CELEBRATION / JUNE 21st 2p.m. to 5p.m.].

The verso of the sheet has headshot portraits of each artist, accompanied by each artist’s birthplace, astrological sign, a statement on their work, and a list of works to be included in the show with dimensions, date, and medium. Pictured are (clockwise, from top left): Barbara Jones, Carolyn Lawrence, Jae Jarrell, Omar Lama, Sherman Beck, Wadsworth Jarrell, Napoleon Henderson, Jeff Donaldson, Gerald Williams, and Nelson Stevens. The design of the back includes the hand-lettered [AFRICOBRA 1] heading at the top and, at center left and right, two mirror images of the head of a tribal figure with painted face, an elaborate headwrap and sunglasses. Along the bottom is printed [WJ Studios and Gallery 1521 East Sixty First Street Chicago Illinois 60637].

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1970
• Created by: AfriCOBRA, founded 1968
• Printed by: Wadsworth Aikens Jarrell Sr., American, born 1929
• Subject of: Barbara Jones-Hogu, American, 1938 - 2017
• Subject of: Carolyn Mims Lawrence, American, born 1940
• Subject of: Jae Jarrell, American, born 1935
• Subject of: Nelson Stevens, American, 1938 - 2022
• Subject of: Jeff Donaldson, American, 1932 - 2004
• Subject of: Wadsworth Aikens Jarrell Sr., American, born 1929
• Type: broadsides
• Type: posters
• Medium: ink on paper
• Dimensions: H x W: 22 × 17 in. (55.9 × 43.2 cm)
• Place printed: Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States, North and Central America
• Place depicted: Harlem, New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Africa
• Topic: African diaspora
• Topic: Art
• Topic: Communities
• Topic: Identity
• Topic: Museums
• Topic: Resistance
• Object number: 2021.16.3
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: Unknown – Restrictions Possible Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.