Ronald V. Anderson / Akili Ron Anderson
Curriculum Vitae
5005 Illinois Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20011
r_v_anderson@howard.edu - akiliron@hotmail.com
www.akilironanderson.com
phone/fax 202.726.7985 cell phone 202.246.6021
date of birth: February 19, 1946, Washington, DC, USA
EDUCATION:
Howard University, Washington, DC
School of Arts and Science,
Division of Fine Arts, Department of Art
(1965-69), (2005-2008) BFA, MFA
Corcoran School of Art, Washington, DC (1964-65)
Cardozo High School, Washington, DC (1961-64)
SKILLS:
Design, fabrication, and installation for Public Art;
Stained Glass Windows, Sculpture, Painting, Media Arts
Computer Graphics, Printmaking, Theater Set Design, Photography
Videography and Filmmaking, Construction Trades
POSITIONS HELD:
Associate Professor with Tenure, Full-Time, Department of Art, Howard University, (fall 2019 to present)
Assistant Professor, Full-Time, Department of Art, Howard University, (fall 2014 to spring 2019)
Lecturer, Full-Time, Department of Art, Howard University, (fall 2010 to spring 2014)
Lecturer, Full-Time, Department of Art, Howard University, (spring 2009)
President and Founder (1976-Present), Akili Ron Anderson Studios, Washington, DC
Chairperson, Visual Arts Department (Sept. 1974-June, 1976)
Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Washington, DC Public Schools
Chairperson, Visual Arts Department (Aug., 1973-Aug., 1974)
Workshops for Careers in the Arts, George Washington University
ANTX Hill Artists Workshop, Co-Director, (1973-1983)
Filmmaking and Photography Instructor (1971-72
Education Department, Corcoran Gallery of Art
Artist-in-Residence, DC. Commission on the Arts and Humanities (1971-72, 1972-73)
Residency, McKinley High School, Washington, DC
Art and Social Studies Instructor (Oct., 1969-June-1971)
Barry New School, Washington, DC
Co-Founder (Sept. 1968-2013) NationHouse Organization
NationHouse Positive Action Center, Watoto School, Sankofa Institute
Chair, Board of Directors, Computer Graphics Instructor
Co-Founder-Manager, "NATION – Afrikan Liberation Art Ensemble", 1968-1998
Combined Music, Visual Arts, Dance and Poetry Performing Ensemble
PUBLIC ART CONTRACTS:
Stained Glass
Howard University, Rankin Chapel, Washington, DC
Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. Centennial Window, July 2013
Prince Georges County Courthouse, Duvall Wing, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, five windows, 2009
Columbia Heights METRO Station, Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority
(WMATA), 14th and Irving Streets, Washington, DC, “Sankofa” twenty-two windows, 2002,
Asbury Methodist Church, “Founders Window”, Washington, DC 1999
Saint Paul United Methodist Church, Oxen Hill, Maryland, sixteen windows, 1996
Howard University, Rankin Chapel “Centennial Window”, Washington, DC 1995
Union Temple Baptist Church, Washington, DC, 1992
Saint Augustine Catholic Church, “St. Augustine and St. Monica Window”, Washington, DC 1990
John Wesley A.M.E. Zion Church, “Rose Windows” and “Victory Skylight”
Washington, DC 1980 and 1985
Sculpture
District of Columbia Office on Aging
2014 500 K St NE, Washington, DC 20002, 2013 to present
John A. Wilson Building (Entrance)
Executive Office of the Mayor and the Council of the District of Columbia, 2013
The Cherry Hill District Police Station,
The Baltimore, Md. Public Art Program, 1986
New Home Baptist Church, 1982, "The Last Supper"
Digital Collection | National Museum of African American History and Culture (si.edu), 2023
C & P Telephone Company, Window display ( Frederick Douglas),1978
Painting
(commission)-Imani Temple, Washington, DC, 1994
ONE PERSON EXHIBITIONS:
Hampton University Museum, July 9, - November 18, 2016
The New Muse, Brooklyn, NY, 1977
Miya Gallery, Washington DC, 1976
Weusi Gallery, NYC, 1975
Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corp., Brooklyn, NY, 1975
Metropolitan Applied Research Center, NYC, 1975
Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington DC, 1973, “Paintings for Projection”
Howard University Gallery of Art, Washington DC, 1973
Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, 1969
AfriCOBRA Exhibitions (AfriCOBRA-African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists)
AfriCOBRA: The Evolution of a Movement
Galerie Myrtis, Baltimore, Maryland
September 1 Through December 2, 2018
RESPECT: 50 Years of AfriCOBRA at Mosaic Templars Cultural Center
Sep 1, through Dec 2, 2018
Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, Little Rock, Arkansas
AfriCOBRA Now at The Kravets Wehby Gallery
New York City, NY
Jun 16 through Aug 17, 2018
AfriCOBRA Now: Works On Paper
Hearne Fine Art
June 16, 2016 - September 17, 2016
Little Rock, Ar.
AfriCOBRA Now: An Aesthetic Reflection
The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African- American Arts + Culture
Charlotte, NC, July 18, 2015 - December 31, 2015
AfriCOBRA: Liberated Images, February 2 - April 5 2008
Community Folk Art Center, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
AfriCOBRA NOW - Contemporary American Works Rooted in Africa
AfriCOBRA: Hampton University Museum, February 1 - July 31, 2007
AfriCOBRA at the Ninth Zora! Festival, Eatonville, Fl., 1997
Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, 1992
Hickory Museum of Art, Hickory, NC, 1990
Indiana Univ., Bloomington, Indiana, 1990
Winston-Salem State University, Winston-Salem, NC 1990
Afro-American Cultural Center, Charlotte, NC 1990
Florida A&M Univ., Tallahassee, Florida, 1990
Nexus Contemporary Art Center, Atlanta, Ga. 1990
Clemson Univ., Clemson, SC, 1990
Howard Univ. Gallery of Art,
AfriCOBRA and GROUPEFROMAJE, 1989
GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
It Takes a Nation: Art for Social Justice
American University Museum, Washington, DC
with Emory Douglas, and the Black Panther Party, AFRICOBRA,
and Contemporary Washington Artists
Curated by Sandy Bellamy, September 6 through October 23, 2016
Howard University Gallery of Art, Faculty Exhibition, 2016
Howard University Gallery of Art, Faculty Exhibition, 2015
Howard University Gallery of Art, Faculty Exhibition, 2014
The Pepco Edison Place Gallery. “From the Ashes: Rebirth of the Human Spirit”, February 2014
DC Commission on the Art and Humanities, “We Speak the Souls of Ancestors”, February 2013
Cherishing The Legacy, ARTCART: Saving the Legacy
Corcoran Gallery of Art-Gallery 31, 2013
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, Pa., Three Decades of American Printmaking:
The Brandywine Workshop, 2013
Howard University Gallery of Art, Faculty Exhibition, 2013
George Mason University, School of Art, Fairfax, Virginia, 2013
Wilmer Jennings Gallery at Kenkelleba in New York City, NY, 2013
The River Districts Art Center, Sperryville, VA, 2013
Howard University Gallery of Art, Faculty Exhibition, 2012
The Hillyer Arts Space, Washington, DC, 2011
Kreeger Museum, Washington DC, February 2011, "In Unison"
Howard University Gallery of Art, Faculty Exhibition, 2011
Parish Gallery, Washington, DC, February 2 - February 28, 2007
The Obsidian Art Glass Association (OAGA)
Howard University Gallery of Art, March 7 - May 29, 2005
“A Proud Continuum: Eight Decades of Art at Howard University”
Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, 2000
Anacostia Museum, Washington DC, February 1999, “Locating the Spirit”
Orlando Museum of Art, Orlando, Fl., 1997
The Museum of the National. Center of Afro-American Artists, Boston Mass., 1996
Howard University Gallery of Art and Fondo Del Sol, Washington DC, 1995
"Lois Jones and her former students”
Schomburg Museum, NYC, 1995
"Art is Service of the Lord” Calendars and Exhibits, 1993-96
FESTAC: The Festival of Black and African Cultures, Lagos Nigeria, 1977
Market Five Gallery, Washington DC, 1976
Just Above Mid-Town Gallery, NYC, 1975
University of Pennsylvania, Gallery of Art, 1975
North Carolina A&T, Gallery of Art, 1975
F. Bader Gallery, Washington DC, 1974
PERFORMANCE – NATION-AFRIKAN LIBERATION ART ENSEMBLE:
Combined Music, Visual Arts, Dance and Poetry Performing Ensemble, 1968 – 1998
Multiple venues in the Washington, DC and Baltimore Md. metropolitan areas.
Howard University, Cramton Auditorium and Ira Aldridge Theater
NationHouse Positive Action Center, Washington, DC
Institute of Positive Education, Chicago, Illinois
The East, Brooklyn, NY.
FESTAC: The Festival of Black and African Cultures, National Theater, Lagos Nigeria, 1977
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, Pa., 1973
Nation Conference of Artists Convention, Cramton Auditorium, Howard University, c. 1970
African Heritage Studies Association Convention, Cramton Auditorium,
Howard University, c.1969
THEATER SET DESIGN:
The Ellington Fund, Everyman Street Theater,
Washington, DC and Lincoln Center, NYC, NY 1977-79
Morgan State University Theater, Baltimore, Maryland "Mushy Mouth", 1976
Kennedy Center- Eisenhower Theater, "Owen's Song", Washington, DC, 1975
DC. Black Repertory Theater, "Owen's Song", Washington, DC, 1974
DC. Black Repertory Theater, "The Lion and the Jewel", Washington, DC, 1974
DC Black Repertory Dance Co. Production, Washington, DC, 1974
George Washington Univ., (Design and Construction, Set Sculpture and Props)
Howard University, Ira Aldridge Theater, Washington, DC, "Debut", 1969
Howard University, Ira Aldridge Theater, Washington, DC,
(co-design with Ed Love), "Tabernacle", 1969
THEATER LIGHT DESIGN:
Howard University, Ira Aldridge Theater, Washington, DC, "El Hajj Malik", 1971
Howard University, Ira Aldridge Theater, Washington, DC, "Ornette", 1971
Publications:
The International Review of African American Art: Howard University Stained Glass Windows
Rankin Chapel Centennial Window 1995, Delta Sigma Theta Centennial Window 2013
Contemporary African American Printmakers, by Dennis Forbes – Page 26-27
Three Decades of American Printmaking: The Brandywine Workshop, 2013 - Page 218
A Proud Continuum: Eight Decades of Art at Howard University – Page 38, 74
Theories and Documents of Contemporary Art: A Sourcebook of Artists' Writings, Page 293
African American Lives - Page 475
American Legacy - Volumes 2-4 - Page 178
The International Review of African American Art - Volume 21 - Page 5, 11, 68
The Beginner's Guide to Collecting Fine Art - Page 95
Wadsworth Jarrell: The Artist As Revolutionary - Page 44
American Legacy, Volumes 2-4, Page 178
News Links: Press Ctrl-Click to follow link:
The Washingtonian News Service (10-11-2019)
The Washingtonian News Service (10-14-2019)
The Washingtonian News Service (12-24-2019)
The Washingtonian News Service (12-30-2019)
NBC News 4 Washington DC (10-16-2019)
Channel 4 News, London England (12-2019)
The Stained Glass Association of America (10-28-2019)
The Hyperallergic News Service (10-28-2019)
Washington City Paper ( 11-26-2019)
Newspaper, Magazines and Catalogs:
Bison Beat – A Monthly Newsletter from the Office of the President
Howard University, Volume 2 Issue 2, 2014, Page 4
Howard University Magazine, Delta Sigma Theta Stained Glass Window, 2014
Informer Newspaper, Washington, DC, May 2013
Cherishing The Legacy, ARTCART: Saving the Legacy, 2013
The Washington Post, March 2009
The Flagship Newsletter, College of Arts and Sciences, Howard University
Spring 2008, Special Edition Page 9
Catalog Editor and Written Statement, “Setting the Pace:
Innovators of Social Consciousness in African American Art”, Howard University Gallery of Art,
Black Artists of DC (BADC) and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, 2010
The International Review of African-American Art, “AfriCOBRA Now”, 2008
ArtSouthAfrica - Volume 7 - Page 302, 2008
Contemporary Black Biography, Page 42, 2004
The Washington Post (Front page, Metro Section, Feature) May 23, 2002
The Washington Post (Front page, Style Section, Feature) August 25, 1998
The Washington Times (Front page, Metro Section, Feature) May 16, 1998
Encyclopedia of African-American culture and history, Volume 1, Page 79, 1996
“Art in the Service of the Lord”: Black Christian Fine Art Calendar, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996
Upscale: The Successful Black Magazine - Page 111, 1993
American Visions Magazine, December 1993
The Washington Times (Front page, Metro Section, Feature) October 19, 1990
AfriCOBRA: the first twenty years, 1990 - Page 11, 15
New Art Examiner - Volume 17 - Page 31, 1989
The Drum, Black Literary and Arts Experience,
University of Massachusetts, Amherst May 1988
The Howard University Magazine (Cover Article) July 1987
The ARTARY - A Black Art Journal Published by the National Conference of Artists
(Feature) Spring 1985
The Washington Post (Religion Page) January 5, 1985
The Washington Post (Front page Style Section, Feature) October 18, 1973
School of Fine Arts Magazine, Howard University, 1968
Broadcast Media:
TV Land Production, AfriCOBRA, 2013
News Channel 8, Washington DC (News), 2002
WUSA Channel 9, Washington DC (News), 2002
Channel 22 Baltimore Md. (Feature), 1998
BET Black Entertainment Television, Washington, DC, (Feature), 1998
Music Recordings (Production and Album Covers):
“Rise Vision Coming” Haki Madhubuti and Nation-African Liberation Art Ensemble
“Medasi” Haki Madhubuti and Nation-African Liberation Art Ensemble
WEB LINKS:
Bayard Rustin and James Baldwin: Freedom Fighters and Friends,
The Howard University Department of Art
Voicing Art: Jenne Glover, From the Heart Art Gallery
Kreeger Museum, In Unison Exhibition
Tokesplace
J. Sussman, Inc.
Washington Post, Newspaper, Washington, DC,
Akili Ron Anderson's mural in the original “Punch Out”, Howard Univ., ca. 1971
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES:
Artist Talk - AfriCOBRA (African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists), AfriCOBRA members
"AfriCOBRA Now: Works On Paper", June 25, 2016
Hearne Fine Art, Little Rock, Arkansas
Artist Talk - "AfriCOBRA History", AfriCOBRA members
University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff, June 25, 2016
http://www.akilironanderson.com/hearn.html
Artist Talk - "Akili Ron Anderson: A Fifty-Year Retrospective of Black Art and Life"
Hampton University Museum, September 10, 2016, 2pm - 6pm
http://www.akilironanderson.com/hampton-university.html
Artist Talk - "It Takes a Nation: Art for Social Justice"
A panel discussion on The Creative Process of Bringing Truth to Power: The Art of the Black Panthers and AFRICOBRA. Artists and scholars of the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 70s. Panelists discuss the idea of activist art and the visual aesthetic strategies of the Black Panther Party and AFRICOBRA. Panelists include Akili Ron Anderson, James Phillips and Colette Gaiter. American University Museum Auditorium, 2016.
Artist Talk - Contemporary Black Canvas (Podcast) 2018
The life and career of artist Akili Ron Anderson
http://www.contemporaryblackcanvas.com/ep-4-visual-artist-akili-ron-anderson
Public Art Consultant for CulturalDC and Vision McMillan on a plan for permanent
public art at the historic McMillan Sand Filtration Site, April 2014
Panelist, James A. Porter Colloquium on African American Art, Howard University, Washington, DC, April 2014
Juror, EMANCIPATION: Meditations on Freedom
Produced by Black Artists of DC and DCAC, District of Columbia Arts Center 2013
Studio Lecture, James A. Porter Colloquium on African American Art, April 2013
Featured Speaker, James A. Porter Distinguished Lecture Series, March 2012
Department of Art, Howard University
Exhibition Co-Coordinator, “Setting the Pace”, Elizabeth Catlett, Floyd Coleman, Ph.D. and
Jeff Donaldson, Ph.D., Howard University Gallery of Fine Art, April 2010
Presenter, James A. Porter Colloquium on African American Art, April 2006
Presenter, James A. Porter Colloquium on African American Art, April 2005
Presenter, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (METRO)
National Public Art Conference for Transit Authorities 2004
Presenter, Howard University, Public Art Lecture Series, 2002
Juror, Howard University, Annual Student Art Exhibit, 2001
Visiting Artist Lecturer, Kennesaw State University, 1999
Presenter, James A. Porter Colloquium on African American Art, April 1998
Visiting Artist fellowship, The Brandywine Workshop, Philadelphia, PA 1994
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS:
NationHouse Organization (Co-Founder) 1968-2013
AfriCOBRA - African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists, 1979 to present
BADC – Black Artists of DC, Board Member, 2010 to present
GABA – Golden Age of Black Art, Board Member, 2000 to present
NCA – National Conference of Artists, Member, 1970 to present
Conference Co-Chair, National Conference of Artists Convention, Washington, DC, 1990
Conference Chair, National Conference of Artists Convention, Washington, DC, 1980
RECOMMENDATIONS ON FILE:
Romare Bearden, Artist, 1974
Lois Jones, Artist, Educator, Howard University, 1974
Robert J. Nash, Architect, Robert J. Nash and Associates, 1983
Michael McBride, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, (METRO), 2002
Peggy Cooper Cafritz, 2003
Isham Baker, Baker Cooper & Associates, P.C., 2003
Gwendolyn Everett, PhD, Chair, Art Department, Howard University, 2009
Lauren Dugas Glover, Executive Director, Prince George's County Government,
Art in Public Places, 2009