By Ball State Communications—
MUNCIE, Indiana – The David Owsley Museum of Art (DOMA) at Ball State University will showcase The Art of Elizabeth Catlett from the Collection of Samella Lewis from Sept. 19–Dec. 20, 2024. The exhibition features works from the collection of Dr. Samella Lewis (1923–2022), a renowned artist, educator, and author who was professor emerita of art history at Scripps College in Claremont, Calif. Dr. Lewis, a student of Ms. Catlett’s in the 1940s, was mentored by her, and the two maintained a lifelong friendship.
Elizabeth Catlett (1915–2012), a sculptor and printmaker, is recognized as one of the most significant African American artists of the 20th century. Her work combined art with social activism, addressing injustices faced by African Americans. Born in Washington, D.C., she studied design, printmaking, and drawing at Howard University and, in 1940, became the first student to earn a master’s degree in sculpture from the University of Iowa. A 1946 fellowship took her to Mexico City, where she studied painting, sculpture, and lithography, and collaborated with the Taller de Gráfica Popular, a collective of artists dedicated to social change. Ms. Catlett eventually became a Mexican citizen and taught sculpture at the National Autonomous University of Mexico until her retirement in 1975.
“Elizabeth Catlett was my friend and my mentor in art,” wrote Dr. Lewis. “She is the reason that I began to see and think creatively. When I first met Elizabeth in 1941, my attempts at making art were strictly based on visual concepts of the European models. Upon my graduation from high school, it was my good fortune to receive a scholarship to study at Dillard University, where Elizabeth was the art professor. I shall always remember her as being my mentor who was responsible for my life in art.”
The Samella Lewis collection includes examples of Elizabeth Catlett’s most significant works, such as Sharecropper, Survivor, and There is a Woman in Every Color. “Ms. Catlett and Dr. Lewis were great champions for Black women,” said Dr. Robert La France, DOMA’s director. “Ms. Catlett’s art conveys a powerful message of social justice, triumph over economic hardship, and pride for all women and people of color.”
The exhibition is organized by Landau Traveling Exhibition, Los Angeles, and is being brought to Ball State by the Friends of the David Owsley Museum of Art.
DOMA is located at 2021 W. Riverside Ave., in Ball State’s Fine Arts Building. It is open to the public from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays and 1:30-4:30 p.m. on Saturdays. There is no admission fee.
Visit DOMA’s website for information on related programs and events—including an Oct. 10 lecture by Elizabeth Catlett scholar Melanie Anne Herzog and a Nov. 12 screening of “Standing Strong: Elizabeth Catlett” at Pruis Hall. These related programs are part of Ball State’s Arts Alive series, presented by the University’s College of Fine Arts.
About the David Owsley Museum of Art
Free and open to the public, the David Owsley Museum of Art at Ball State University houses a world art collection with more than 12,500 original works of art representing all seven continents. DOMA cultivates lifelong learning and recreation in the visual arts through exciting interdisciplinary art exhibitions with engaging displays of the permanent collection in an educational environment that serves both the University and the East Central Indiana region. DOMA’s website.
Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Saturday, 1:30-4:30 p.m.
DOMA is in the Fine Arts Building on the north side of Ball State University’s Quad. Parking is available at the McKinley Avenue Parking Garage, and MITS bus stops are nearby. For more information, contact the museum at 765-285-5242 or email artmuseum@bsu.edu.
About Ball State
Founded in 1918 and located in Muncie, Ball State University is one of Indiana’s premier universities and an economic driver for the state. Ball State’s 20,000 students come from all over Indiana, the nation, and the world. The 790-acre campus is large enough to accommodate first-rate facilities and 19 NCAA Division I sports, but our welcoming and inclusive campus is small enough to ensure the friendliness, personal attention, and access that are the hallmarks of the University. Destination 2040: Our Flight Path establishes Ball State’s ambitious goals for our second century. We Fly!
