LEON KENNEDY American, b. Signed and dated on front and titled, signed, and dated on verso. Title: REACH BEYOND LIMITNG – PRAISE GOD – HE IN SKY. Size: 10 x 10 inches. Materials: Paint on ARTIST CANVAS BOARD. This work by Leon Kennedy is documented and archived for provenance, and included in his digital catalogue raisonné. Rosnak book shown for reference and not included with work. African-American spiritual visionary Leon Kennedy b. 1945, Houston, Texas uses mixed media on found objects to paint ecstatic visions, memory paintings, and urban life portraits. Kennedy is featured on several pages of Rosnak’s “Contemporary American Folk Art” (Abbeville, 1996), and in Betty-Carol Sellen’s important survey, “Self Taught, Outsider, and Folk Art” (McFarland & Company, 1999). Folk Art Messenger Vol. 3, 1997 reported that the acquisition makes the Smithsonian American Art Museum the world’s preeminent repository for American self-taught art. Mentioning Kennedy, the article notes these works were the first American collection exhibited at the Collection de l’Art Brut, Switzerland, which testifies to its quality and uniqueness. “It is our desire to see them as part of the history of 20th-century American art, ” said Chuck Rosenak. The Leon Kennedy masterwork now resides at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, while photos of Kennedy and other materials of Kennedy’s are available for study at the National Archives in Washington, D. Leon Kennedys works are included in many excellent public and private collections. Like Reverend Howard Finster, Kennedy often references the Bible, usually on verso. Exhibited and compared with Bill Traylor, Martin Ramirez, Adolf Wölfli, and others steeped in Visionary Spiritual vernacular. Contemporary American Folk Art: A Collectors Guide. ROSENAK, New York: Abbeville, 1996. American Self-taught Art: An Illustrated Analysis of 20th Century Artists, Florence Laffal, Julius Laffal, McFarland & Company, Jan 1, 2003. The Folk Art Messenger. 3, Spring, Summer 1997. Self Taught, Outsider, and Folk Art. Betty-Carol Sellen, (McFarland & Company, 1999). Black Creation: A Quarterly Review of Black Arts and Letters. The Black Artist in America: An Index to Reproductions, Thomison, Dennis. Metuchen: Scarecrow Press, 1991. The Street Spirit: The Visionary Folk Art of Leon Kennedy, April 2014. Smithsonian American Art Museum. The House of Blues. American Visionary Art Museum. Museum of Biblical Art. 2015 East Bay Depot, Oakland, CA. 2014 2520 Telegraph, Oakland, CA. 2014 The Alameda Main Library Paintings by folk artist Leon Kennedy. 2013 Alameda: Redux Studios & Gallery. 2013 Inferno Gallery Visions of an Oakland Artist Oakland, CA. 2009 A440 Gallery, AMERICAN VISIONARY, San Francisco, CA. Kennedy University Arts and Consciousness Gallery. 2005 Kings Gallery, San Francisco Unitarian Universalist Church. 2001 Flora Lamson Hewlett Library. 2000 Oakland City Hall, Oakland, CA. 1996 Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Oakland, CA. 1995 La Pena Cultural Center, Berkeley, CA. 1992 West Berkeley Senior Citizens Center, Berkeley, CA. 1988 Richmond City Hall, Richmond, CA. 1976 WHITNEY YOUNG CIRCLE. 2015 OAKSTOP, Oakland, CA, Black Artists On Art. 2011 AMES GALLERY, New York Outsider Art Fair. 2010 AMES GALLERY, New York Outsider Art Fair. 2007 Revolving Museum, Lowell, MA, “Race Class Gender”. 2006 American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore, MD, “Race Class Gender”. 2005 Robert Cargo Gallery, PA, “The Dream Lives On”. 2005 Richmond Art Center, Richmond, CA. 2003 Black Box, Oakland, CA, “Absolute Reflection”. 2000 San Francisco Arts Commission “Extraordinary Artists, ” The Ames Gallery. 2000 SOMArts Gallery, San Francisco, CA. 1999 Visual Aid’s “Big Deal”. 1997 Collection de l’Art Brut, Lausanne, Switzerland. 1996 Sheppard Art Gallery, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, “Memories and Visions”. 1995 Bomani Art Gallery, San Francisco, CA. 1994 African American Museum, Dallas, TX. 1994 Skyline College, San Bruno, CA, “Emerging Talent: African American Artists of CA”. 1992 California State University, Hayward, CA, “Vernacular Art”. 1992 2000 Berkeley Civic Arts Commission, Berkeley, CA (Windows Project). 1991 Creative Growth Art Center, Oakland, CA, “The Gospel Connection” with Louis Estape. 1990 City Hall Gallery, Richmond, CA. 1967 1974 Blackman Art Gallery, san Francisco, CA. The item “American Folk Art Painting Visionary Landscape Signed LEON KENNEDY Museum Listed” is in sale since Tuesday, May 09, 2017. This item is in the category “Art\Art from Dealers & Resellers\Paintings”. The seller is “bayartwork” and is located in Oakland, California. This item can be shipped worldwide.
- Original/Reproduction: Original
- Listed By: Dealer or Reseller
- Signed?: Signed
- Medium: acrylic paint and ink on canvas board
- Subject: Religious & Inspirational
- Style: Outsider Art
- Size Type/Largest Dimension: Medium (Up to 30in.)
- Date of Creation: 2000-Now
- Region of Origin: US
