Benny Andrews

**Benny Andrews** (dem born am for November 13, 1930 – he die for November 10, 2006) be an African-American artist, activist den educator.

Dem born am insyd Plainview, Georgia, Andrews earn a BFA insyd painting from de School of the Art Institute of Chicago insyd 1958, he soon after move to New York. He be known for ein expressive, figurative paintings dat often incorporate collage fabric den oda material. Andrews help find de Black Emergency Cultural Coalition, wich dey agitate for greater representation of African-American artists den curators insyd New York ein major art museums insyd de late 1960s den 70s. He san dey lead de group insyd founding an arts education program insyd prisons den detention centers.

Andrews teach art at Queens College for three decades, den from 1982 to 1984, he serve as de Director of de Visual Arts Program for de National Endowment for de Arts. He receive chaw awards, wey dey include de John Hay Whitney Fellowship (1965–66), de New York Council on the Arts fellowships (1971–81), den de National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship (1974–81).  
## Background
Na dem born Benny Andrews into a family of ten for November 13, 1930, insyd de small community of Plainview, Georgia.  parents, George den Viola (née Perryman), na dem be sharecroppers. Ein mommie den poppie emphasize de importance of education, religion, den freedom of expression. Na Andrews ein poppie be a self-taught artist wey ein drawings den paintings lead to renown as de "Dot Man" den a retrospective at de Morris Museum of Art.

Despite ein parents dema stress for education, na dem no fi afford make dem let Andrews go to school wen dem dey hia ein help make he pick anaa plant cotton. He attend Plainview Elementary School, a one-den-a-half room log cabin. Education past de seventh grade be discourage insyd de sharecropping community, buh na Andrews parents allow am den ein siblings make dem attend high school during de winter months. Andrews manage to graduate from Burney Street High School insyd Madison, Georgia, insyd 1948, wey make am ein family dema first high school graduate.

He receive a two-year scholarship make he go to Fort Valley College, a black state college insyd Georgia, for ein work insyd de local 4-H organization. Unfortunately, Fort Valley College dema limited art curriculum make am difficult give am make he explore a range of media. He do, however, spend one summer painting murals insyd Atlanta during dis time. Na Andrews ein grades be poor, so wen ein scholarship run out, he lef college make he join de U.S. Air Force. He train insyd Texas before he serve as a staff sergeant insyd Korea. While he dey serve insyd de military, Andrews regularly send ein earnings home make he support ein mommie den younger siblings. He serve from 1950 to July 1954, wen he receive an honorable discharge, Andrews use de G.I. Bill make he attend de School of the Art Institute of Chicago, wer na dem train am as an abstract expressionist wey he receive ein Bachelor of Fine Arts. Prior to he begin ein education at de Art Institute of Chicago, na Andrews never set foot insyd a museum. Ein professor Boris Margo help Andrews discover ein own personalize art style during dis time wey he encourage Andrews make he experiment den dey combine painting den collage techniques. While he dey earn ein BFA, Andrews san work as an illustrator for record companies wey he create advertisements for various Chicago theater companies. He san regularly dey create ein sell sketches of Chicago ein jazz scene.

After he graduate from de School of Art Institute of Chicago, Andrews move go New York City insyd 1958, wer he settle for de Lower East Side. He begin dey work insyd de Christmas card division of de Metropolitan Museum of Art in order make he generate income for ein young family. Ein work sanso steadily gain critical attention wey na dem exhibit am insyd chaw cities, wey dey include New York, Philadelphia, Detroit, Provincetown, Massachusetts, wer na Paul Kessler give Andrews ein first solo show insyd 1960. Insyd 1962 de *New York Times* praise ein first New York City solo exhibit at de Forum Gallery.  He receive de John Hay Whitney Fellowship for 1965.  Na dem renew dis fellowship insyd 1966, wey na Andrews use de money return to Georgia. While insyd Georgia, Andrews create ein *Autobiographical Series* of paintings. He then receive a CAPS award from de New York State Council on the Arts insyd 1971. Insyd de same year, he paint one of ein most notable works, *No More Games*, wich highlight de plight of black artists wey he cam turn an icon of ein emerging social justice activism insyd de art world.

Insyd 1966 Andrews begin dey teach art classes insyd drawing den painting at de New School for Social Research insyd New York, de Jewish Community Center insyd Bayonne, New Jersey, den an arts initiative insyd de South Bronx. Then, from 1968 to 1997, he teach at Queens College, City University of New York insyd de SEEK program, wich offer academic support for underserved students.

Insyd 1971, Andrews begin dey teach at de Manhattan Detention Complex. Ein arts program for prisons soon cam turn a national model. Mayor John Lindsey honor Andrews for ein work insyd 1973, den insyd 1976 na Andrews curate an exhibition of work wey dem make by prisoners at de Studio Museum insyd Harlem.

Insyd 1976, Andrews cam turn de art program director for de Inner City Roundtable of Youths. Dis organization be compose of gang members wey dey seek make dem combat youth violence den strengthen New York City ein urban communities.

Dey start insyd de 1970s, Andrews regularly dey spend time at MacDowell. Dem elect am for de colony ein board of directors insyd 1987.
## Social justice work
Insyd 1969, Andrews co-found de Black Emergency Cultural Coalition (BECC), an organization wey protest de *Harlem on My Mind: Cultural Capital of Black America, 1900-1968* exhibit at de Metropolitan Museum of Art. Na no African-Americans be involved insyd make dem dey organize de show, wey na e dey contain no art—only photo reproductions den copies of newspaper articles about Harlem.

De BECC then persuade de Whitney Museum make dem launch a similar exhibition of African American artists, buh later dem feel compelled make dem boycott de Whitney show for similar reasons.

From 1982 to 1984, Andrews serve as de director of visual arts for de National Endowment for the Arts. Insyd dis position, na he get de chance make he advocate for fellowships den grants make he go to talented black artists wey fi otherwise dem escape notice.

Andrews travel insyd 2006 for de Gulf Coast make he work for an art project plus children wey dem displace by Hurricane Katrina.
## Art
Na Benny Andrews be a figural painter insyd de expressionist style wey he paint a diverse range of themes of suffering den injustice, wey dey include de Holocaust, Native American forced migrations, den Hurricane Katrina. Insyd de 1960s he begin dey find ein own style of painting, wich develop parallel to de flourishing collage moment. Oda influences for ein work top dey include surrealism den Southern folk art. Ein work dey hang insyd de Metropolitan Museum of Art insyd New York City; de Art Institute of Chicago; de Studio Museum insyd Harlem (New York City); de High Museum of Art insyd Atlanta, Georgia; de Hirshhorn Museum insyd Washington, DC; de National Gallery of Art insyd Washington, DC; The Phillips Collection insyd Washington, DC; den de Ogden Museum of Southern Art insyd New Orleans, Louisiana.

During de 1970s, he participate insyd a community art space dem call Communications Village wey printmaker Benjamin Leroy Wigfall operate am insyd Kingston, NY. Andrews make prints plus de help of printer assistants wey na dem teach by Wigfall, wey he exhibit der.

Dey reflect ein minimalist style, Andrews say na he no be interested for how much he fi paint, buh how little. He incorporate ein sparing use of geometrical forms make ge convey broader messages about ein subjects. Gabriel Tenabe dey describe ein drawing as *"delicate, subtle, and intimate... draw(ing) from his past private life in Georgia and his social life in New York."* Christian imagery dey juxtapose plus sensibilities of humanism make he call out false religion, false democracy, sexism, den militarism den dema roles insyd make he create a failed society.

Dey use various media, Andrews depict diverse American scenes den people insyd a figurative style wey he feel both reflect de dignity of those he portray den serve ein commitment to social change.

## Family life
Benny Andrews marry Mary Ellen Jones Smith, a photographer, insyd 1957. De couple get three kiddies, Christopher, Thomas, den Julia, before dem separate insyd 1976. De couple officially divorce insyd 1986.

Andrews then marry artist Nene Humphrey insyd 1986. De couple meet at MacDowell.

Andrews die of cancer for November 10, 2006, at de age of 75.
## Honors den awards

* John Hay Whitney Fellowship - 1965-66
* New York Council for de Arts Fellowship - 1971-1981
* MacDowell Fellowships - 1972-1973, 1975-1978
* National Endowment for de Arts Fellowship - 1974-1981
* O'Hara Museum Prize, Tokyo -1976
* Bellagio Fellowship, Rockefeller Foundation - 1990
* Member of de National Academy of Design - 1997
* President’s Award to The Benny Andrews Foundation, United Negro College Fund - 2010

## Collections dem select

* Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN

## References


## External links
* New York Times obituary
* Benny Andrews papers, 1945–1968 from the Smithsonian Archives of American Art
* Benny Andrews at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN
* Benny Andrews papers, 1940-2006 from the Stuart A. Rose Library, Emory University
*Benny Andrew's Estate website