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Exhibit: Danny Simmons: Paint Where It Ain’t

Thu, November 17th, 2022 - Sun, January 29th, 2023

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The ’62 Center for Theatre and Dance unveiled our new project for Corridor ‘62. Artist, author, and poet Danny Simmons lends his magnificent work for a month-long viewing here in Williamstown, MA. These works were recently shown to great acclaim at the Houston Museum of African American Culture and the Hudson Guild in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City.

Some of the works in this show were created while at home during the stay-at-home orders of the COVID pandemic, he threw himself fully into his studio practice to create beauty and hope during uncertain times. His work was described as neo-African abstract expressionism and much of the work has African textiles and influences. The New York Times stated that Simmons “injects freshness” into his abstract works, and that they are “meticulously rendered and decoratively impressive.”

Today, his works appear in prominent locations around the world, including the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn Museum, Chase Manhattan Bank, Deutsche Bank, Schomburg Center for Black Culture, Smithsonian Museums, and the United Nations. He has shown work internationally in countries including France, the Netherlands, and Ghana.

Work samples can be viewed here.

Paint Where It Ain’t can be viewed at the ’62 Center for Theatre and Dance through January 29th, 2023. The budling hours are 9 AM to 5 PM, every day except for during winter shutdown. The building will be closed from December 24th to January 3rd.

Masks are recommended.

’62 Center for Theatre and Dance
Williams College
Muhheaconneok/Mohican homelands
1000 Main Street
Williamstown, MA 01267

There is parking behind the theatre.

About the Curator

Shawnette Smalls is a fashion designer, independent curatorand gallerist. Smalls has a Master of Science degree in Fashion Design from Drexel University, Westphal College of Media Arts and Design. Her experience includes corporate retail work with Urban Outfitters, Perry Ellis International, John Varvatos, and Donna Karan.

In 2019, Smalls opened the Upper Darby Art Gallery in Pennsylvania, which she continues to own and operate along with her own private design consulting practice. Smalls has consulted on exhibitions at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, the Williams College Museum of Art, the private collection of Danny Simmons Jr. as well as the ‘62 Center for Theatre and Dance, Corridor ‘62.

Shawnette currently resides in Williamstown, Massachusetts and works with the Massachusetts College Liberal Arts Gallery 51. Additionally, Smalls acts remotely as Curator of Virtual Programming for Rush Arts Philadelphia where she directs a thriving virtual art program serving elementary aged students in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
To contact Shawnette please send an email to shawnettejsmalls@gmail.com.

ABOUT CORRIDOR ‘62

When the ‘62 Center for Theater and Dance was designed, the long corridor was envisioned as a space where the community would share and engage with visual and interdisciplinary art.

With this mission in mind, Corridor ‘62 was conceived as an exhibition space to expand access to the visual arts across the Williams College community and engage the public with works of art that embody the values of the ‘62 Center. This space displays artwork created by underrepresented artists at various points in their careers.

Corridor ‘62 is led by independent curatorial consultant Shawnette Smalls and a team of guest curators.

For questions, please email Randal Fippinger at rfippinger@williams.edu

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