Detroit Institute of Arts Acquires Shield of the Nile, A Significant Painting by Renowned Detroit Artist Shirley Woodson
Updated Sep 6, 2022
September 6, 2022 (DETROIT) - The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) today announced it has acquired one of the most significant works by renowned Detroit artist and educator Shirley Woodson. Shield of the Nile (1984) is part of a larger series that depicts the Nile River as a metaphor for Africa and symbolizes a historical, spiritual and cultural significance for people of African descent. The acquisition was recently approved by the DIA’s Board of Directors.
“Shirley Woodson’s art exemplifies her quiet determination and creativity to express what she has learned about herself and the world she inhabits over the course of her life and career,” said Valerie Mercer, exhibition curator and department head of the DIA’s Center for African American Art. “This piece showcases her skillful drawing combined with her exuberant palette. Her work reminds us that it’s always a balancing act to assert the complexities of her existence as a Black female artist, a wife, a mother, a mentor, a friend, and a human being.”
The DIA hosted the first solo exhibition devoted to the artist’s work, Shirley Woodson: Shield of the Nile Reflections, from December 18, 2021 to June 12, 2022, drawing nearly 66,000 visitors, and widespread national press attention.
A renowned Detroit artist and educator, Woodson received a BFA from Wayne State University in 1958 and an MFA in 1965. Between degrees, she studied painting and art history at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago, and studied in Paris, Rome, and Stockholm. Woodson spent more than 25 years as an arts educator at various Michigan schools. Woodson received designation as the 2021 Kresge Eminent Artist, was named a 2021 Michiganian of the Year by The Detroit News, and was an inaugural recipient of the City of Detroit ACE Honors Medal. She is a recipient of the Alain Locke Award from the Friends of African and African American Art, a member auxiliary of the DIA. Her art has been included in numerous local and national solo and group exhibitions, and is part of the permanent collection of the DIA.
September 6, 2022 (DETROIT) - The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) today announced it has acquired one of the most significant works by renowned Detroit artist and educator Shirley Woodson. Shield of the Nile (1984) is part of a larger series that depicts the Nile River as a metaphor for Africa and symbolizes a historical, spiritual and cultural significance for people of African descent. The acquisition was recently approved by the DIA’s Board of Directors.
“Shirley Woodson’s art exemplifies her quiet determination and creativity to express what she has learned about herself and the world she inhabits over the course of her life and career,” said Valerie Mercer, exhibition curator and department head of the DIA’s Center for African American Art. “This piece showcases her skillful drawing combined with her exuberant palette. Her work reminds us that it’s always a balancing act to assert the complexities of her existence as a Black female artist, a wife, a mother, a mentor, a friend, and a human being.”
The DIA hosted the first solo exhibition devoted to the artist’s work, Shirley Woodson: Shield of the Nile Reflections, from December 18, 2021 to June 12, 2022, drawing nearly 66,000 visitors, and widespread national press attention.
A renowned Detroit artist and educator, Woodson received a BFA from Wayne State University in 1958 and an MFA in 1965. Between degrees, she studied painting and art history at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago, and studied in Paris, Rome, and Stockholm. Woodson spent more than 25 years as an arts educator at various Michigan schools. Woodson received designation as the 2021 Kresge Eminent Artist, was named a 2021 Michiganian of the Year by The Detroit News, and was an inaugural recipient of the City of Detroit ACE Honors Medal. She is a recipient of the Alain Locke Award from the Friends of African and African American Art, a member auxiliary of the DIA. Her art has been included in numerous local and national solo and group exhibitions, and is part of the permanent collection of the DIA.