Furman University Libraries has recently acquired two new art pieces that are now on display.
James B. Duke Library
The Duke Library is proud to exhibit a newly acquired painting titled “Liba Cohubaba” by Cuban artist Mildo Matos Carcassés. This striking piece hangs on the entry level of the library, to the left of the atrium.
Mildo Matos Carcassés (b. 1962, Baracoa) is an artist from Baracoa, Cuba. His work often draws inspiration from the origins of the Cuban and Caribbean Taino peoples, featuring abstract anthropomorphic and zoomorphic forms. His artistic style is influenced by his background in anthropology and his interest in Shamanic visions and aboriginal mythology. Mildo is president of Buren, an association of Baracoan potters that focuses on researching primitive methods of firing pottery and doing community outreach to teach ceramic making to children and people with special needs.
“Liba Cohubaba” is an acrylic on canvas painting. It was previously showcased as part of the Cuban Art Exhibit held in the Duke Library atrium in spring 2023. The library, in collaboration with the Center for Inclusive Communities and Nuance Galleries, hosted the “Citizen Diplomacy: A Cuban Art Exhibit” in March of this year. In connection with this exhibit, which featured the work of several Cuban artists, Furman hosted a CLP featuring guest speaker Soledad Pagliuca of The Friendship Association, a not-for-profit organization aimed to foster cultural exchange and understanding between the United States and Cuba.
The acquisition of “Liba Cohubaba” aligns with the library’s commitment to creating an inclusive space that represents diverse cultures and perspectives. This artwork is a valuable addition to the library’s collection and enriches the experience of those in our spaces.
Maxwell Music Library
The music library is now exhibiting “Coloratura” by Melissa Anderson, a portrait of Sarah Reese, ’71. The painting is displayed to the left of the library entrance.
Sarah Reese, world-renowned soprano and choral leader, was one of the first three African American women to desegregate Furman University in 1967. She has enjoyed a long career with opera companies around the world, including the Metropolitan Opera Company in New York City (1979-1985). She is the recipient of multiple honors, including Furman’s Distinguished Alumni Award (1992), a Grammy Award (1993), the Greenville Cultural Exchange Center’s “Women Making History” award (2008), and the Yale Distinguished Music Educator list (2013). Furman University conferred on her an honorary Doctor of Humanities in 2014.
The portrait was originally part of an exhibition at the Upcountry History Museum. “Coloratura” was purchased from local artist Melissa Anderson last year and was temporarily displayed in the Special Collections and Archives reading room in the Duke Library pending renovations to the Music Library.
Both installations are part of the Libraries’ inclusive artwork project led by Robyn Andrews, Rick Jones, and Laura Baker (now retired). Through this painting and others, we hope historically underrepresented groups of people of color will now see themselves and their experiences artistically represented within our libraries.