The Art of Benny Andrews

Benny Andrews was a prominent African American artist, educator, and activist celebrated for his vivid paintings and collages. His work frequently addressed themes of social injustice. Andrews co-founded the Black Emergency Cultural Coalition, aimed at improving representation for African American artists in museums. Additionally, he launched an art education initiative tailored for incarcerated.

Benny Andrews Biography

Andrews was born in 1930 in Plainview, Georgia, into a family of ten. His parents were sharecroppers, which meant they struggled financially. As a result, Andrews’ parents were unable to fund his college education, and he spent a significant part of his childhood laboring in the cotton fields. Nevertheless, he attended high school during the winter months and became the first member of his family to earn a high school diploma. He attended a two year college and spent a summer painting murals in Atlanta.

In the early 1950s, he served in the U.S. Air Force and regularly sent money back home to support his mother and siblings. After receiving an honorable discharge, he utilized the G.I. Bill to attend the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he focused on abstract expressionism and earned his BFA. Following graduation, he relocated to New York, and his artwork began appearing in exhibitions across various cities. His inaugural solo show gained acclaim from the New York Times in 1962, and he eventually returned to Georgia on a fellowship.

In 1966, he took up a teaching position at the Jewish Community Center in New Jersey and later at Queens College in New York. He initiated an art program for incarcerated individuals, which subsequently became a model for similar initiatives nationwide.

Benny Andrew’s Art Legacy

In his later life, Andrews dedicated himself to advocating for greater recognition of African-American artists, including his students. His artistic themes addressed a range of social issues, from the Holocaust to forced migration. He began to cultivate a distinctive minimalist style that fused geometric elements with his subjects. His artwork ranged from themes inspired by his personal experiences in childhood to his later years in New York, tackling complex subjects like Christianity, fraudulent faiths, sexism, and the illusion of democracy. His commitment to creating positive social change for all was profound.