02-05-2025
Two original Beauford Delaney artworks to be auctioned during Beck-Met Gala
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — On Monday, two pieces of artwork created by historic Knoxville artist Beauford Delaney will be up for auction to benefit the Beck Cultural Exchange Center
The Beck-Met Gala is being held on Monday, March 5 in honor of the Beck Cultural Exchange Center's 50th anniversary. The ticketed event will be at 5:30 p.m. at the Grande on Clinton Highway. During the event, there will be a live auction featuring two original Beauford Delaney artworks, custom-framed for the gala.
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Beauford Delaney is one of the few African-American painters associated with abstract expressionism, a style featured in one of the artworks that will be up for auction, according to the Associated Press. In 2023, one of Delaney's original artworks, Pastel Portrait of a Man, sold for $48,000 at auction.
Both pieces that will be auctioned at the gala are undated and unsigned.
The first piece is an untitled portrait, crafted with pastel on paper. The artwork depicts a man in a suit against a saturated red and blue background. While the piece is roughly 25 inches by 19 inches, the Beck Cultural Exchange Center noted that the artwork has some fraying along the upper edge and left corners. The piece features a similar abstract expressionism style as Delaney's Pastel Portrait of a Man.
The second piece of artwork is an Afrique lithograph, which features an abstract design of vibrant pink, blue and green colors. The piece also measures approximately 25 inches by 19 inches. Although the artwork is undated, the Studio Museum in Harlem lists a piece by Delaney that is similar in size, style and color dated to 1963 on its website.
While guests are encouraged to attend the live auction, there is also an option for guests to complete absentee bids online. The absentee bids will close at 3 p.m. on the day of the auction. Tickets to the Beck-Met Gala, priced at $100, can be purchased at the Beck Cultural Exchange Center's website, which is also where absentee bids can be placed.
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'This auction is a key component of the evening, highlighting the significance of art and culture within our community. This is a unique opportunity to acquire a distinctive piece of history while contributing to the ongoing support of Beck,' the Beck Cultural Exchange Center wrote.
In addition to having an extensive art collection that includes the works of Beauford Delaney, Beck Cultural Exchange Center is working to restore the ancestral home of Beauford and Joseph Delaney that will one day become the Delaney Museum at Beck. The brothers, who were born in the early 1900's, are considered among the greatest artists of the 20th century.
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