The Tubman Museum recently opened a new exhibition called “Welcome to Small Grove: Works by Henry Lee Gorham” in the BB&T Gallery. The museum will celebrate this new exhibition with an opening reception and book signing on Friday, October 7, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., and museum members and guests will have an opportunity to meet the artist/author.
 
A graduate of the Art Institute of Atlanta, Henry Lee Gorham, who lives in McRae, Georgia, has painted a series of narrative works that depict the lives of African American people living in a community called Small Grove since 1992.  Although the town and its citizens are fictional, the paintings are based on Gorham’s memories and experiences growing up in McRae and on his perceptions of African American life during the mid-20th century in small, rural towns in the South.
 
The paintings, which pop with color, illustrate many of the daily routines of individuals in an active community. When asked about the themes of the paintings, Gorham states, “My goal is to convey the spirit of the people and place during a time when music, both Gospel and Blues, were a major thread that bound social activities within the community.”
 
Gorham’s tandem book entitled, “The Experiences of the African American in the Rural South,” also depicts the lives of African Americans in the rural South through 68 images of the artist’s paintings accompanied by descriptive historical text.
 
Henry Lee Gorham invites everyone to come listen to the voices of Small Grove, because as Americans, “these are some of our best stories.”
 
Admission to the reception and book signing is free for Museum members and $5.00 for the general public.
 
The “Welcome to Small Grove” exhibition will be on display through Saturday, November 26, 2016. Contact the Tubman Museum (478-743-8544) for more information.