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Larry Walker Retrospective: The Later Years

Aug 11, 2018 - Oct 27, 2018
11am - 5pm

The highly acclaimed visual artist, art professor, and mentor Larry M. Walker is one of Atlanta’s most treasured creative talents. Walker mixes painting, drawing, collage, and various materials in the process of creating. MOCA GA is thrilled to present a significant retrospective exhibition of Walker’s work in two consecutive parts over the course of 20+ weeks, The Early Years and The Later Years . Both exhibitions will feature works from MOCA GA’s collection and archives, as well as works provided by numerous other institutions and individual collectors.

Although his career as a visual artist and educator expands a half century, there is no scholarly publication documenting Walker’s life achievements and the impact his work has had on Georgia as well as the national art scene. In conjunction with this major retrospective highlighting the development of a lifelong career, MOCA GA will honor this great artist with a scholarly book, publishing his impact and adding it to the literary cannon of art in America.

It is of great importance that Walker’s work and history be shown, documented, and distributed to inspire and encourage future generations of teachers and artists!

An upcoming film documenting Larry Walker’s monumental retrospective exhibition and publication is in production for MOCA GA by filmmaker Felipe Barral. This film will air at the museum on Tuesday, October 9th at 7 pm. We are grateful to The Judith Alexander Foundation, sole funder of this film. 

 

About Larry Walker

Larry Walker (b. 1935 in Franklin, Georgia) grew up in New York City. Walker graduated from New York’s renowned High School of Music & Art, after which he received his BS in art education and MA in drawing and painting from Wayne State University in Detroit. He taught in the Detroit school system for 6 years; at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA for 19 years; and at Georgia State University for 17 years, during which he served as the School of Art and Design’s director for 11 years. Walker has had numerous solo exhibitions and more than 200 exhibitions to date. He was chosen as one of three recipients of MOCA GA’s 2007/2008 inaugural Working Artist Project award. As part of the award, he mounted a solo exhibition at MOCA GA entitled Surface, Spirit Voices and Other Secrets: The Wall Series in Transition. Walker also curated the exhibition Dissolving Stereotypes/Forgings New Dialogues: An Exhibition Beyond Race. Since 2009 Walker has had three solo exhibitions in Philadelphia and Atlanta and has had work included in 11 invitational exhibitions at venues in Atlanta, Oakland, Boston, and Charlotte as well as in “Tradition Redefined,” The Larry and Brenda Thompson collection, which traveled to Maryland, Jacksonville, FL and Athens, GA. Walker continues to add credits to his substantial accomplishments as an artist, visual arts supporter, juror and curator.

Featured Image: Larry Walker, Listen (to da beat), 2008, acrylic and mixed materials on canvas, 58″ x 98″ (diptych), Collection of Birmingham Museum of Art

Larry Walker exhibition and publication curated and organized by Annette Cone-Skelton was funded in part through the generosity of

The Forward Arts Foundation
Northside Hospital
Fuller & Company
The Jack and Anne Glenn Foundation
Massey Charitable Trust
The Estate of Anne Walker Tompkins
The Estate of Katie R. Walker

Tim and Lauren Schrager
Larry and Brenda Thompson
Susan and Carl Cofer
Betty and Alston Glenn
Charles and Franca Haynes
Harvey and Sarah Hill

MOCA GA is grateful to the individual donors and those who supported this project though the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs Power2Give.

Maria Artemis, Lucinda Bunnen, Collette and Dennis Campay, Marcia R. Cohen, Kevin and Karen Cole, Annette Cone-Skelton and Bob Hipps , Tina Dunkley, Paula Eubanks, Cindy Forrest, Ralph Gilbert, Eddie Granderson, Erin Green, Sivan and Jeff Hines, Kitty Hodgson, Roxane and Todd Hollosi, Amy Kicklighter, Marianne Lambert, Jim McLean, David and Birgit McQueen, Jonathan Playfair, Edwin Robinson, Ann Rowles, Deborah Ryan, Doug Shipman, Rob Smulian, Christine and Mark St.Clare, Dana Walker and Emile Juick

This organization is supported in part by the Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia Council for the Arts also receives support from its partner agency – the National Endowment for the Arts. Major funding for this program is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. This project is also supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. Major support is provided by the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.