The art of Benny Andrews and poetry of Langston Hughes crisscross in new exhibition at Emory

Benny Andrews, Harlem (Langston Hughes Series), 2005, oil on joined paper with painted fabric and paper collage. © Benny Andrews Estate; Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY. © Benny Andrews Estate; Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY.

Two giants of arts and letters, each self-described as “the people’s painter” and “the people’s poet,” respectively, come together in a new exhibition at the Carlos Museum: “Crisscrosses: Benny Andrews and the Poetry of Langston Hughes.”

The collection shows the illustrations and paintings of Benny Andrews as they directly connect to writings by Langston Hughes – an intersection of fine art and the diverse stripes of American life that Andrews referred to as the “crisscrosses.”

In this interview, “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes is joined by curator and Spelman College student of History and Curatorial Studies Nadia Scott to discuss this multifaceted exhibit.