DanceAfrica 2008 Visual Artist
Donovan Nelson
Dancing the Drum, 2008, acrylic
Memorial Day Weekend
BAM Lobby

Donovan Nelson's original and limited edition prints have graced the walls of many private collectors, galleries, art shows, and competitions locally and abroad. The Jamaican-born, Brooklyn-based artist is renowned for his vivid murals and portraits. Currently Nelson teaches at New York City College of Technology and The Children's Art Carnival in Harlem. For DanceAfrica 2008, BAM commissioned Nelson to create an original painting that celebrates African dance, music, and culture.


African Ancestral Altar
Memorial Day Weekend
Natman Room

Acknowledgement of ancestors is an integral component of DanceAfrica. A contribution from the Council of Elders, the African Ancestral Altar is dedicated to the memory of those who have "crossed over to the valley of the ancestors."


Talking with Pictures
May 23—June 15
Opening Reception: Fri, May 23, 6—8pm, with music by DJ Stone
MoCADA, 80 Hanson Place

This year during DanceAfrica, BAMart and MOCADA collaborate to showcase works from Talking with Pictures, a youth photography education program sponsored by NYU's Africa House. The featured photos were taken in April 2006 by students from La Yahoushua Secondary School in Accra, Ghana, and from Norman Thomas High School in New York City.

Presented in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Art, an organization dedicated to bringing about an increased presence of the art and culture of the African Diaspora. For more information please visit mocada.org.



Image: Donovan Nelson, Dancing the Drum