Currently on view at the Jamaica Center for the Arts in Southeast Queens is Early Days & Latter Days, a captivating exhibition of early and recent works by the celebrated painter, poet and philanthropist Danny Simmons. Spanning both of the center’s galleries, the works on view reflect the self-taught artist’s wondrous imagination and impressive skills.
The image featured above, The Painter, was fashioned back in 1999 with oil on canvas. Several more images captured on my recent visit follow:
“Hammered Oaths,” 1998, Mixed media
“Noisy in the Next Room,” 2014, Oil on canvas
Among those created during Simmons’ recent residency at Jamaica Center for the Arts:
“Blackout,” 2021, Oil on fabric
“Blue Breeze,” 2021, Oil on fabric
“Pretty Please,” 2021, Oil on canvas
And interspersed throughout the exhibition are traditional African objects — an homage to the artist’s ancestral and spiritual inspirations. Pictured below is Danny Simmons‘ 2017 oil painting “Drip,” along with a Songye figure from the Congo.
Located at 161-04 Jamaica Avenue in Jamaica, Queens, the Jamaica Center for the Arts is open Monday through Saturday, 10am to 6pm.
