Museum marks a birthday, and mission
‘The commitment never ends,' says co-founder
of African art institution
When Doris and Claude Ligon first talked about opening an African art museum in Columbia more than 36 years ago, they knew the subject matter wasn't well-known. One friend even warned Doris to reconsider, she said.
“They told me, ‘I don't know about that African art. It's got that voodoo in it,'?” Ligon chuckled.
The African Art Museum was the first of its kind when it opened in Columbia in 1980. It relocated to Fulton's Maple Lawn community six years ago in a space filled with both art and information.
“It is a wonderful entity,” said Abram Engelman, a member of the museum's board of trustees. Ligon “makes incredible use of the space. It is very tastefully done and well presented.”
An anniversary celebration is planned for Sunday, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the museum. The “Art and All that Jazz” event will feature a jazz concert, mini-bazaar and refreshments — and of course a showing of African art.
“We have a lot in the time slot,” Ligon said. “It will be a fun, hopefully pleasurable, experience.”
Ligon said the museum she founded with her late husband began with only a few pieces and one important ingredient: hospitality.
“Everybody who walks through this door is treated with dignity,” Ligon said. “We want people to come in here. We are a very friendly museum.”
The museum now has more than 3,000 pieces in its collection. While many of the pieces are museum-like quality, there are several masks and pieces of artwork that are hands-on.
“Always in our exhibits we have some hands-on pieces throughout,” Ligon said. “People like to touch African art. They have the opportunity to pick up pieces.”
From the start, Ligon has done her best to educate people about African art.
She travels to local schools, senior centers and businesses to give presentations and welcomes groups to the museum. Her motto is “Have Art, Will Travel.”
“I'm not there to show me off. I'm there to talk about Africa,” Ligon said. “To know African art is to understand the people, understand why they do things. If you understand, it is the first step toward friendship.”
Most of the museum's collection is in storage due to lack of space, Ligon said. She admits she would love to raise more money to open in a larger space, and hopes the anniversary celebration is a success.
“If you have an event, whoever comes, that makes the party. If people don't come, you don't have a party,” Ligon said. “If 10 people come or 1,000, you've done the best you can. I will be sorry if only 10 people come.”
Engelman is looking forward to celebrating the museum's anniversary.
“I watched it from the beginning,” she said. “The commitment never ends.”
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