Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Culture Center Opening topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Jonathan Green Maritime Cultural Center opens in Beaufort County; artist urges communities to teach art
Summary
At the opening of the Jonathan Green Maritime Cultural Center in Beaufort County, Dr. Jonathan Green reflected on a 47-year collection focused on WPA and maritime artists, urged early arts education, and highlighted the center’s role in preserving African and maritime visual culture.
At the opening of the Jonathan Green Maritime Cultural Center in Beaufort County, Dr. Jonathan Green, the artist and namesake honored at the ceremony, called the event a culmination of decades of work and a new beginning for visitors.
Dr. Green said the center grew from a 47-year collecting partnership with Richard Wheatman and collaborations with Dr. Kim Long, noting that much of the collection emphasizes works by WPA artists. "Many of the artists, I would say 98% of the artists that are in the collection, we knew personally," he said, describing the holdings as "home spun" and collected for their content rather than gallery prestige.
The center centers maritime culture and the long history of African contributions to port cities worldwide. Dr. Green referenced Dr. Kim Long’s research, saying Long has "traveled to well over 214 port cities to understand the maritime culture of Africa going back 10,000 years," and asked visitors to consider "where would we be and how would we look without Africa?"
Offering context for the center’s purpose, Dr. Green said maritime art documents labor and shared cultural practice: "Everything in this all of the entire collection is about work, what people have done," he said, adding that the books and artifacts illustrate the global African contribution.
Asked what he would say to young artists and their families, Dr. Green urged community support and early arts education. "Art is so important in the community," he said. "It starts in the community. It doesn't start in a gallery or in a museum. It starts with children in early school."
Dr. Green also noted recognitions he has received, including honorary doctorates from the University of South Carolina, Sewanee and Claflin, and described the opening as a special communal occasion: "It is one of the greatest feelings because normally when we come together as a people, we come together in churches, we come together for specific reasons of weddings and funerals, but to come together under the auspices of pure enjoyment of the visual arts... is a special thing," he said.
He closed with personal remarks about his path to art, saying he struggled with dyslexia and "on the bend of autism," and credited reading with helping his artistic career. The program concluded with thanks to attendees and viewers; the center is now open to the public.
