Morgan Monceaux

Black History, Jazz History
In collaboration with New Door Creative Gallery of Baltimore

Every year, the Black History Month provides an opportunity to reflect upon and celebrate the history, culture, and contributions of the African American community. Established in the early 20th century, Black History Month is the result of the vision of historian Carter Goodwin Woodson, whose parents had experienced slavery. Originally called Negro History Week, a week dedicated to celebrating the achievements, history, and arts of the African American community, it was later extended, beginning in 1976, into a month-long event, becoming a moment of reflection and celebration both nationally and internationally.

Gliacrobati, in collaboration with New Door Creative, seeks to conclude this month’s observance with a fresh artistic proposal, at least within the outsider art scene: a virtual exhibition dedicated to the work of Morgan Monceaux (1955-2017), a self-taught artist, visionary, history enthusiast, and renowned for his portraits of political and cultural icons. In his Jazz series, he brought to life a visual history exploring jazz music in the United States, a tradition and evolution deeply rooted in African American culture, which we wish to celebrate. Monceaux, inspired by New Orleans’ jazz culture and his studies in music, in this series of 74 portraits and 17 abstract paintings, tells the story of legendary jazz musicians, celebrating their artistic innovations that gave birth to one of the most influential musical genres in the world.

The book Jazz: My Music, My People, published in 1994 by Alfred A. Knopf, compiles this extraordinary collection. The portraits are enriched with symbolic objects such as sheet music, accessories, and even musical instruments, creating a tangible connection between music and visual art. As Monceaux himself states, the musicians in his Jazz series are the “great transgressors” of their time, capable of breaking rules and creating new sounds that had never been heard before, blending tradition and innovation into a uniquely American and African American musical language.

Monceaux describes jazz as an oral tradition, similar to storytelling, where each musician brings their own experience and improvisation, influencing and leaving an imprint on others. This cycle of influence and innovation is at the heart of jazz, a language that continues to evolve through generations of musicians. Monceaux’s Jazz series is a visual testament to this dynamic and ever-evolving process.

Some of Morgan Monceaux’s works are now part of the Morgan Monceaux Artist Trustcome, while others are part of the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., confirming the importance and enduring value of his art, and still others are in private collections.