Tina Dunkley built the collection of Clark Atlanta University Galleries from 291 piece to more than 1,200. Photo courtesy Clark Atlanta University.
From Black Art in America:
“Tina Dunkley thank you for the years of service at Clark Atlanta University Art Galleries. You’ve been an example of what it means to be a steward of culture and now its time for you. I pray this institution is blessed to find someone else with your vision and dedication.” – Najee Dorsey
Nothing about Tina Dunkley’s bearing suggests her status as a recent retiree. To the contrary, when the curator emeritus of Clark Atlanta University Art Galleries enters the exhibition space in Trevor Arnett Hall, the force field surrounding her crackles with energy — invigorating everything and everyone in her path; generating buzz.
She greets a student/receptionist on duty with “Gimme a Hug!” And her enthusiasm only escalates as she talks about the importance of visual literacy and the cultural language of art while leading a tour through the gallery’s permanent collection.
“When I was an undergraduate at the School of Visual Arts in New York in the ’70s,” she explains, “my professors knew of no artists of color who’d contributed to the canon of great American art.”
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