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Robert Graham Carter: The Art of Reflection
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February 2 to May 25, 2025
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Huntington, NY — Robert Graham Carter (American, b. 1938) is best known for his mixed-media works including commanding drawings; sculptural, high-relief paintings; and whimsical works on wood. Carter’s figurative compositions routinely speak to systemic societal issues with a specificity derived from his lived experiences.
Organized in conversation with the artist, Robert Graham Carter: The Art of Reflection, on view at the Heckscher Museum of Art February 2 to May 25, 2025, presents selected work from his six-decade-long career. This exhibition explores the idea of reflection in Carter’s work through three major themes: childhood, spirituality, and societal issues.
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“This exhibition not only offers visitors a chance to see art made throughout Carter’s career, but it also makes space to honor his living legacy as an artist educator,” noted Guest Curator Sarah Battle. “This solo show also includes archival material highlighting some of his early influences in Louisville, Kentucky as well as his impact on artists in Nassau County and beyond.”
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Drawing influence from his upbringing in the Jim Crow South, Carter’s compositions balance personal and universal truths, with a focus on topics that connect to the experiences of African Americans. His work addresses the joy and importance of family, the legacy of segregation, the charm of childhood, the spiritual and corporal force that is the Black church, and the impression of Blackface on American culture.
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Carter remarks: “Artists are often credited with grand and creative energies that result in works to be admired. If truth be told, struggle and toil brought them to an acceptability. Looking from a distance through the lens of time helps bring focus and an objective look at the creative process. I am very grateful and happy that the Heckscher Museum of Art allowed this perspective for me and the Heckscher community.”
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Carter’s ties to the Heckscher stretch back decades. His work is included in the permanent collection and in 1973 he became the first African American artist to present a solo exhibition at the Museum. He has been a judge for the Museum’s Long Island Biennial and was an honoree at the 2023 Celebrate Achievement Benefit.
Following the exhibition at The Heckscher Museum, The Art of Reflection will be on view at the Cressman Center Galleries, University of Louisville from August 1 through September 27, 2025. This exhibition is curated by Sarah Battle, research curator at the Speed Art Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, with support from Camille Pratt, artist, and digitization specialist at Digital Transitions-Pixel Acuity.
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Biography
Robert Graham Carter is a New York painter, art professor, and illustrator. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and has lived on Long Island since the 1960s. He received his B.S. degree from the University of Louisville and his M.F.A. degree from the Pratt Institute of Fine Arts. Carter was a professor of art at Nassau Community College, The State University of New York, where he taught drawing, painting, and design for more than 50 years.
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Image Captions:
Robert Graham Carter, Social Center/Barbershop, 2009, Acrylic paint on board. Robert Graham Carter Family Collection.
Robert Graham Carter, Proud Queen, Tribute To My Wife, 1995 Wood and acrylic. Robert Graham Carter Family Collection.
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Sponsored by Andrea B. & Peter D. Klein, Laura Shallat Benson, William Blair. / Generous Support provided by New York State Council on the Arts.
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The Heckscher Museum of Art
The Heckscher Museum of Art is in its second century as a source of art and inspiration on Long Island. Founded by philanthropists Anna and August Heckscher in 1920, the Museum’s collection comprises 2,300 artworks spanning the nineteenth century to the present. The Museum is committed to growing the collection to develop public awareness for the artists whose careers and life experiences can broaden our understaning of the past, foster community connection to the present, and create diverse possibilities for the future. Located in scenic Heckscher Park in Huntington, the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Continuing the legacy of the founders, free admission to the Museum for 2025 is supported through a generous grant from Bank of American.
Visit: Heckscher.org
Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) since 1972.
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Also on View
‘Embracing the Parallax: Berenice Abbott & Elizabeth McCausland’, February 2 – May 30th
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AAQ / Resource: Westhampton Architectural Glass
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AAQ / Resource: Ben Krupinski Builder
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AAQ / Resource: Riverhead GMC
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