Children's Art Carnival in Harlem Gets Retrospective at Columbia's Wallach Art Gallery

The Wallach Art Gallery at Columbia University is showcasing "Children's Art Carnival in Harlem: The Making of Contemporary Artists," marking the fourth installment of the Uptown Triennial, curated by Souleo. This exhibition highlights the Children's Art Carnival, established in 1969 by artist and educator Betty Blayton-Taylor. Originally taking place in a garage from the Harlem School of the Arts, it transitioned to a brownstone at 62 Hamilton Terrace in 1974, becoming an independent nonprofit. Featuring more than 30 artists, including Jean-Michel Basquiat, who created silkscreen prints there in the 1970s, the lineup also includes Tschabalala Self, Carmen L. de Jesús, Armando Alleyne, Michael Kelly Williams, Tomie Arai, and Élan Cadiz. The carnival began at MoMA in 1942 under Victor D'Amico, later moving to Europe and India in the 1960s, before being relocated to Harlem by Blayton-Taylor. Although it ceased operations in 2011 due to financial constraints, it reopened in 2018, two years after Blayton-Taylor's passing. The exhibition features a visual timeline, archival materials, and artworks that showcase Harlem's cultural and political environment. Souleo aims to emphasize the carnival's lasting influence on community art education, especially in light of federal funding reductions.