Renowned local artist Joe Minter celebrates the opening of his first solo exhibition in Birmingham

By Barnett Wright | The Birmingham Times

Long before hundreds of elected officials, neighborhood leaders and artists gathered at the Marc Steel Company in Birmingham’s Titusville community for his first solo exhibition in his hometown, Joe Minter, the artist himself, patrolled the warehouse, followed by photographers on a shoot prepared for national publications.

The “Joe Minter Is Here” exhibition, free and open to the public through October 20, features pieces such as “The Peacemaker” (1993), made from scrap metal and lawnmower blades; The Many Uses Of Chain (1995) made from scrap metal, plowshares and chain and Grandma’s Hands (2012) made from antique chair, scrap metal, shovel heads and handles and more.

Looking at much of his art, Minter said, “Miracles come to those who wait, to those who work a miracle for themselves for others.”

While his art can be found in collections from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to the National Gallery in Washington, DC, this never-before-exhibited work eventually made its way to the city, where Minter became a famous artist.

His morning shoot was a precursor to a ceremony later in the day celebrating Minter, 81, the architect of the African Village in America, where he used discarded materials to record the black experience.

“Joe Minter is special,” said Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin. “We celebrate Joe Minter and not just because of his creative genius. We celebrate him because he is authentically Birmingham… his “African village in America” has become a permanent fixture [in his community] and it represents the black experience.

“From being kidnapped from their ancestral homes in Africa to surviving Jim Crow to dealing with racism and oppression, our people have often felt like outsiders, but Joe Minter knows that with creativity, with your creativity and with perseverance you can be can rewrite your own history. Build a new village from scratch. “They can find a home,” Woodfin said.

Minter encouraged those in attendance to put their hearts into coming together because “after 400 years of hurting each other, we may not have it all together, but together we have it all.”

In addition to his collections in his village dating back decades, Minter has completed more than 400 paintings as of 2022 as part of what he calls “the end of telling the story.”

He has never had a formal studio, but instead paints outdoors in his driveway at home. Using primarily plywood boards and brushes purchased from a local retailer, Minter conveys a narrative and message in vibrant colors.

The producers want to introduce Minter’s story and work to new generations and emphasize the importance of preserving cultural heritage.

Alabama Poet Laureate Ashley Jones read an original poem dedicated to Minter and later had a conversation with Dr. Imani Perry.

The celebration was produced by 1504, a Birmingham-based studio dedicated to telling transformative stories, and presented by Create Birmingham in collaboration with Navigate Affordable Housing Partners.

The exhibition is free and open until October 20th

Thursday-Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m

Sunday: 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m

Located at Marc Steel Company

600 6th Ave. South

Birmingham AL

To learn more, visit JoeMinterIsHere.com.