AMAARP: A Strong Chandler Legacy in the Black Art World

Akin Duro's Life in Art

In 1978, Prof. Dana C. Chandler, Jr., opened the doors to a program that had been his vision for several years--the African American Master Artist-in-Residency Program at Northeastern University. He ran the program for 25 years, until his ouster in 2003. But, what is AAMARP, why was it so important to the Black Art community in its heyday and what happened to the program with the end of Chandler's tenure? We'll discuss these questions and more on this episode. Called "controversial", a "Black Power Artist", "activist artist" and "Outsider Artist", Chandler, 70, was born in 1941 in Lynn, MA. He is best known for the edgy, colorful, controversial and hotly-debated artistic statements of his 1960’s-1980’s works. Because he continues to evolve, his messages change to reflect his personal evolution, he is still an interesting, provocative speaker who can speak and/or lecture brilliantly about the historical relevance of his art and his activism to the worldwide struggle for race and gender equality as well as bridge the generation gap that is confounding this country’s leadership and confronting America as we move into the “internationalist” phase of our own evolution. The show is co-hosted and producted by Dahna M. Chandler, an award-winning journalist and the artist agent for Prof. Dana. C. Chandler. (c) 2011. The Outsider Artist, LLC and BAPsody in Blue, Inc.