Clementine Hunter | African House

Loading Events
Date:
July 27, 2013 - October 26, 2013
Time:
12:00 am - 11:59 pm
Venue:
The Watermill Center

Exhibition open by appointment only.

In July 2013, participants in The Watermill Center Summer Program recreated the African House as a tribute to Clementine Hunter. The original is part of the Melrose Plantation located in Northwest Louisiana. It was built in the early 19th century. Its unique form resembles thatched huts in Sub-Saharan Africa. Throughout its history, the structure has served as a storehouse and a jail for slaves. during the early and mid-twentieth century, Melrose became a colony for artists and writers, the most renowned was Clementine Hunter.

Clementine Hunter began painting in her fifties while working on Melrose Plantation, first as a field hand and later as a domestic servant. Her work depicts a social history of daily life and labor in the early twentieth century American South, prior to the mechanization of agriculture. Her paintings describe scenes from plantation life—picking cotton, washing clothes, baptisms, and funeral scenes.

Clementine Hunter’s African House murals were commissioned by Francois Mignon in the summer of 1955. At that time, she had been painting for more than fifteen years and had never seen a mural. These autobiographical paintings are now considered among the greatest of her work. They describe her memories of living and working along the banks of the cane river.

The African House now stands as a semi-permanent fixture on The Watermill Center’s grounds and gardens.  African House is curated by Noah Khoshbin.

We would love to hear from you! Please complete the form and let us know how we can assist you. The information you provide is confidential and will not be used for any other purpose.

    The Watermill Center
    39 Watermill Towd Road
    Water Mill, NY 11976 United States

    +1 (631) 726-4628
    Skip to content