Enduring Voices Catalogue (6-21-23) - Flipbook - Page 9
Introduction
Cindy M. Petersen, EdM
Executive Director, Taubman Museum of Art
T
he Taubman Museum of Art is pleased to
present Enduring Voices: African American Art
from the David R. and Susan S. Goode Collection.
This compelling exhibition features work from twelve
seminal artists including such notables as Romare
Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, Whitfield Lovell, and Betye
Saar. The twenty-three works on view cover nearly
a century, harkening back to William H. Johnson’s
color-rich Cagnes-sur-Mer, oil on canvas, 1928, to Kara
Walker’s present-day lithographs in her Porgy and Bess
Print Suite, 2013 — all of which have stories to tell,
secrets to share, and experiences to explore. The voices
of each artist through their own words are interwoven
throughout the exhibition.
David and Susan have generously shared their
collection with our community. This has enabled
multilayered educational programming for our
schools, universities, and retirement centers. We have
spotlighted artists and the collection as part of our virtual
tours, Curated Cribs series, and Conversation with the
Curator lectures. In addition, connections to arts healing
projects, memory care programs, and our outreach
in the community through art kits and activities has
broadened the reach and learning for the Museum
experience onsite, in the community, and virtually.
The Goodes share a deep passion for the arts, leadership,
and connection to the Roanoke Valley, to the Taubman
Museum of Art, and to the Virginia Museum of
Fine Arts. A native of Vinton, Virginia, David is the
retired Chairman, President, and CEO of the Norfolk
Southern Corporation. He has served on numerous
arts organizations throughout the Commonwealth,
including his current position and lengthy service on
the VMFA board, the Virginia Commission for the
Arts — also as Chairman, and nationally as Chairman
of the Business Committee for the Arts. David’s
long-standing leadership on our Board and service as
Board Chair at what was then called the Art Museum
of Western Virginia, and currently serving on the
Collections Committee, is deeply appreciated. Susan
started her career as a fourth-grade teacher at Cave
Spring Elementary School. She has and continues to
serve on numerous boards and in leadership positions
for the Norfolk Commission on the Arts & Humanities,
Chrysler Museum, the VMFA, and our Board. With longtime board service for the Virginia Museum of History
and Culture and the Americans for the Arts, she was
honored with the lifetime achievement award. We are
grateful for her commitment to the arts.
A heartfelt thank you to the Goode family: Susan,
David, Christina, and Martha for their leadership and
generosity over decades and in their philosophy of
sharing their exquisite collection with our community
and beyond. The stories told through the special
works on view whisper, sing, and at times shout in
this exhibition, and are similar to stories that have
been told over the years by people of color throughout
our community and through the pivotal work of the
Harrison Museum of African American Culture in
Roanoke. In preparation for this exhibition, we engaged
university students from our institutional partners at
Hollins University, Roanoke College, and Virginia Tech
for research, exploration, and study of each artist. There
are extraordinary works featured in Enduring Voices,
stories told and experiences shared. This exhibition
captures our attention and encourages discovery and
contemplation as we listen to the artists’ voices.
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