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African-American Art Collectors Welcome Fans to South Shore Homes

By Erica Demarest | October 11, 2013 11:26am
 The 2013 home tour series will focus on South Shore collectors of African-American art.
Diasporal Rhythms: Collector Home Tours
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SOUTH SHORE — Four collectors of African-American art will open their South Shore homes to the public on Saturday, as they share their private collections in guided tours.

"On the North Side, they're always doing home tours and garden tours, and you rarely see that in the black community," said Lisa McDonald, who chairs Diasporal Rhythms, the art collector group that arranged Saturday's tours.

"It was important to showcase collectors" on the South Side — to dispel the myth of what a collector is," McDonald said.

Diasporal Rhythms — which has brought together collectors of African diaspora art since 2003 — offers South Side home tours annually. This year, the group will turn its eye to the South Shore neighborhood, with visits to the homes of: 

 Robert Williams will open his house to art enthusiasts on Saturday. Here's a preview.
Robert Williams will open his house to art enthusiasts on Saturday. Here's a preview.
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Diasporal Rhythms

Shyvette Williams, a visual artist and interior designer who will showcase some of her own work.

• Clyde Proctor, a certified public accountant.

• Robert Williams, a management consultant ("He has some bizarre pieces, but they're beautiful," McDonald said.)

• Gail Span, who owns Platinum Care Travel.

"The common thread that binds them is that they're all African-American, and they've all been collecting or involved in the arts for a long time," McDonald said.

Each home will feature more than 50 pieces and "great stories," McDonald said, noting that the collectors have accumulated artwork through personal relationships with artists.

Tours are available at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. for $40 a person ($25 for students). Each tour kicks off at the Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th St., where a trolley will meet guests and chauffeur them to each home.

To buy tour tickets, call 773-702-2787 or visit the Logan Center box office.