In conjunction with the office of the Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, this is the first planned exhibition celebrating the connections between the peoples of Africa and the Brooklyn public. The massive collection of Eric Edwards is the center-piece of this historical undertaking. Carefully assembled over the last forty years this Brooklynite has one of the finest and foremost collections of African art and artifacts in the country. Mr. Edwards, a graduate of Brooklyn Tech and CCNY, will along with other experts discuss the cultural relevance of the art of Africa to people of all backgrounds and ethnicities. The making of the art and its utilitarian, religious and spiritual uses will be discussed along with its role in the development of contemporary modern art.

Museums in NYC began formally collecting African art in the early 20th century, in Europe considerably earlier. Artists such as Basquiat, Picasso, Braque, Klee, Matisse and many of the modernists appropriated African art images and incorporated it into many of what today are considered the greatest modern masterpieces. Artists today such as Otto Neals and Danny Simmons recognize the aesthetic qualities of the sacred wooden sculptures and masks of African artisans.