Kenkeleba house
Kenkeleba house and the Wilmer Jennings gallery

ABOUT

Dedicated since 1979

 

“The Kenkeleba, a staunch holdover from the 1980s scene...at 214 East Second Street...displays a broad range of art with emphasis on African-American, Latino, Asian and Native American artists. To date, the gallery claims to have shown the work of more than 7,000 exhibitors including Edward Mitchell Bannister a Black Canadian landscape painter of the 19th century; Rose Piper, one of the first Black female painters to be given a solo show in New York; ... it also has living and studio space for a small cadre of working artists.” - Grace Glueck. April 13, 2018

 

Mission
Kenkeleba House is an alternative art space, which includes Kenkeleba Gallery and The Wilmer Jennings Gallery. Its mission is to present, preserve, interpret and encourage the development of art by African Americans and the broader African Diaspora, as well as other artists overlooked by the cultural mainstream - Latino, Asians, Native Americans, including mature artists that have not received proper recognition.


Vision
Central to the mission is the preservation of the visual aesthetic and cultural legacy of the African Americans and that of African people worldwide. Kenkeleba fulfills its mission by exhibiting, documenting, collecting art and artifacts and disseminating information to increase the appreciation of African culture from a global perspective. Kenkeleba provides opportunities, supports the pursuit of excellence, encourages experimental work, and improves the quality of urban life through the arts.


History
Kenkeleba House was founded in 1974 by Joe Overstreet, Corrine Jennings and Samuel C. Floyd to support African American culture. Kenkeleba began its work on The Bowery near Delancey in New York City with experimental projects to assist African American, Caribbean, and African artists in developing and documenting their work. Early projects included exhibitions and experiments with poetry, music, visual arts, workshops in dance, theater, children's programs and African markets. The name, Kenkeleba is derived from that of the Seh-Haw plant grown in West Africa, and known for its spiritual, nutritional and healing values.