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Catalog Data

Maker:
Godfried Donkor, born 1964, Ghana  Search this
Medium:
Mixed media on paper
Dimensions:
H x W: 62.7 x 47.5 cm (24 11/16 x 18 11/16 in.)
Type:
Drawing and Collage
Geography:
Ghana
Date:
1992
Label Text:
This work is part of a series that draws upon historical documents and fiction to tell the story of Tom Molineaux, an American slave boxer, and his trainer and famous black pugilist Bill Richmond who traveled to England in the late 19th century to fight the British heavyweight champion. As prized performers, they were supported by royal and wealthy patrons. With this series, the artist acknowledges the ways in which Europe and America stereotyped African and diaspora peoples for their physical prowess and as entertainers. The composition draws upon a well-known lithograph by Théodore Géricault of a legendary fight between black and white boxers.
Exhibition History:
Conversations: African and African American Artworks in Dialogue - From the Collections of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art and Camille O. and William H. Cosby, Jr., National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, November 7, 2014-January 24, 2016
Body of Evidence-Rotation 1, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., June 14-October 15, 2006
Encounters with the Contemporary, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., January 7, 2001-January 6, 2002
Published References:
Kreamer, Christine Mullen and Adrienne L. Childs (eds). 2014. Conversations: African and African American Artworks in Dialogue from the Collections of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art and Camille O. and William H. Cosby, Jr. Washington, D.C.: National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, pp. 126, 128, 140, no. 72, pl. 58.
Content Statement:
As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
Image Requests:
High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
Topic:
boat  Search this
Credit Line:
Purchased with funds provided by the Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program
Object number:
96-21-2
Restrictions & Rights:
Usage conditions apply
Copyright:
© 1992 Godfried Donkor
See more items in:
National Museum of African Art Collection
Data Source:
National Museum of African Art
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys7034a4edc-462a-459b-92b4-d279b32cd552
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmafa_96-21-2