The Art of the Negro murals were painted by Hale Aspacio Woodruff (1900-1980) and consist of six canvas panels housed in the atrium of Trevor Arnett Hall. Woodruff, art professor and founder of the Atlanta University art department and permanent collections painted the series between 1950-1951. Woodruff intended to provide students of an historically black university, and its visitors, with images of black Americans’ cultural past. Referring to his motive for painting the murals, Woodruff stated:
“It portrays what I call the Art of the Negro. This has to do with a kind of interpretive treatment of African art. … I look at the African artist certainly as one of my ancestors regardless of how we feel about each other today. I’ve always had a high regard and respect for the African artist and his art. So this mural, … is for me, a kind of token of my esteem for African art.” – Hale Aspacio Woodruff
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