David C. Driskell & Friends: Creativity, Collaboration, and Friendship highlights the artistic legacy of David C. Driskell and the importance of his relationships with fellow artists—many of whom hold a significant place in the 20th-century art canon. In 1976, Driskell curated the groundbreaking exhibition Two Centuries of Black American Art: 1750–1950, which has been foundational for the field of African American art history. Many of the artists featured in Two Centuries of Black American Art are included in David C. Driskell & Friends.

This exhibition explores the work of, and Driskell’s relationships with, such figures as Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, Jacob Lawrence, Keith Morrison, James Porter, Kara Walker, Hale Woodruff, and many others. It features more than 70 artworks by 35 prominent African American artists as well as ephemera from the Driskell Papers that exemplify the artists’ unique friendships.

Originally conceived by Dr. Sheila Bergman (University of California, Riverside), Curlee Raven Holton (former director The David C. Driskell Center), and Heather Sincavage (Wilkes University), the exhibition’s presentation at the Frist Art Museum was overseen by the Frist’s associate curator, Michael Ewing. The collaborative effort behind this showcase mirrors the ethos it seeks to celebrate, emphasizing the interconnectedness that defined Driskell’s artistic journey.

Organized by The Driskell Center, University of Maryland, with support from the Teiger Foundation

David C. Driskell. Five Blues Notes, 1980. Painting; 32 x 39 3/4 in. The David C. Driskell Center, University of Maryland, College Park. Gift of Nene Humphrey from the Benny Andrews and Nene Humphrey Collection, 2010.06.020. © David C. Driskell/David C. Driskell Center, 2017. Photo: Greg Staley, 2018