CHARLES GAINES
It has been a struggle to write about artist Charles Gaines. What else can I say about this living giant who continues to speak truth to power? There already have been countless writings about him, his artwork, and his tireless efforts to question our society and our relationship within it.
In 2023, Gaines visited NJCU, where he received his BA in 1966, and BFA students at their final exhibition in May. We are so grateful for his incredible generosity in visiting Jersey City while he was in NYC for his monumental installation, Moving Chains, on Governors Island.
The work description from the island's website is included below:
A 110-foot long kinetic sculpture built from steel and sustainably harvested Sapele, commonly referred to as African Mahogany, a tree native to West Africa... contains nine custom made chains weighing over 1,600 pounds each running its length overhead. Eight of the chains are representative of the pace of the currents in New York Harbor, while a ninth central chain moves more quickly, recalling the pace of ship and barge traffic that has traveled the city’s waterways for centuries. The overall effect of the weight and motion of the chains produces a rhythmic, undulating loop, evocative of the sounds of New York Harbor at the entrance to the Hudson River, known to the area’s Indigenous residents the Lenape as Mahicantuck, the river that runs two ways. Starting during the Dutch and British occupations, this waterway near present-day lower Manhattan would become an economic pillar of the transatlantic slave trade and seed the system of racial capitalism foundational to the United States. Facing the Statue of Liberty — an international symbol of benevolence and human rights, distinguished by the abolitionist iconography of a broken shackle and chain at her right foot—Moving Chains calls attention to the nation’s economic, judicial, and political frameworks that continue the legacy of slavery today.
https://www.govisland.com/things-to-do/public-art/the-american-manifest-moving-chains
It made a big impression on the students who spoke with the artist about their work. It provided another opportunity to see the possibility of pursuing a career in a field that often lacked a clear path, especially for students of color.
As we continue to look for inspiration as activists and artists, we can not stop thinking about his use of art to understand our world. In a 1993 exhibition, “Theater of Refusal: Black Art and Mainstream Criticism” at the University of California, Irvine, organized by Gaines and the artist and writer Catherine Lord, they ask the audience to question the status quo in the art world structures where artists of color are pushed to the margins limiting not only their exposure but also how their work gets written about in art criticism.
As the financial stress pushes the school to ponder over the sale of its Visual Art building built to house its art department among other things, it begs the question of value. What is the value of art and the people who make them? What is their purpose? Why do we need them?
Why do we choose or not choose art when faced with difficulties?
Photo of Charles Gaines in the 1966 yearbook
His active time at NJCU described on p271:
Who's Who Among Students in American Universities 4; Jazz Band 1,2,3,4; Vice-Pres. 1,2; Student Council 1,2,3,4; Orchestra 1,2,3,4; Band 3,4; Art Association 3,4; Pres. 3; Finance Committee 3,4; FREE 1,2,3,4; Tower Players 4; Performing Arts 3; Tower 4
Installed in front of the NJCU's visual art building in May 2024
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT NOW
In a recent article in the NY Times, Gaines tells a story about his fourth-grade teacher. Complimenting his early talents, she told his mother that he "would be the first Black artist in the history of the world." The lack of black visibility affects our psyche. It requires unimaginable effort and determination to consider the possibility. We must continue to show and spotlight.
FURTHER LOOK
Charles Gaines: Systems & Structures | Art21 "Extended Play”
See Okwui Enwezor's page for more information on the school's financial woes
THANKS TO
Charles Gaines, Sonia Mak, Rebeca Vega, Midori Yoshimoto, Jennifer Musial, Duquann Sweeney, & Patrick Craig
Made possible by DEFCon artist residency at NJCU