Frederick J. Brown Honored With New Exhibit at The New Orleans Jazz Museum
The New Orleans Jazz Museum recently announced the opening of their new exhibition titled Universal Heart Chords: Music Paintings of Frederick J. Brown. The exhibit will be dedicated to the late Frederick J. Brown, an iconic artist whose musical portraits feature music legends such as Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Sidney Bechet, Billie Holiday, Wynton Marsalis, Bix Beiderbecke, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Patton and Ray Charles. The New Orleans Jazz museum is hosting the exhibit's opening reception at 400 Esplanade Avenue on Oct. 6 at 5:30 p.m, and will be open to the public the following day on Oct. 7 at 9 a.m.
Art That Sings
Frederick J. Brown dedicated his life and work to capturing the essence of musicians within his portraits. Raised in Chicago's south side, he eventually left to be at the epicenter of New York's art and music renaissance of the 1970s and 1980s, where he met a number of talented musicians, painters, writers, dancers and performers. During his time in the city, he collaborated with countless artists, including jazz musicians Ornette Coleman and Anthony Braxton, and expressionist painter Willem De Kooning. His work has been exhibited across the country at institutions such as the Smithsonian, the Kemper Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Xavier University, and even the White House.
"One of the reasons Frederick wanted to concentrate on painting the Jazz and Blues portraits was to honor the musicians and more importantly make sure they were remembered in history," said Megan Brown, Frederick J. Brown's wife.
"We are overjoyed to put these large and detailed works on display. Preserving and documenting the city's culture is vital to its survival. We are proud to see The New Orleans Jazz Museum working to educate a new generation of musicians about the city's rich artistic legacy," said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser.
For more information about the exhibit and The New Orleans Jazz Museum, visit www.nolajazzmuseum.com, or follow @NOLAJazzMuseum on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
