Long Gallery Harlem Unveils Commissioned Portrait of Josephine Baker for the Josephine Baker ballroom in the Ambassador’s residence of the American embassy in Paris
Date
October 9, 2024
Location
Embassy of the United States of America
2 Av. Gabriel, 75008
Paris, France
Artist
Jas Knight
Poet
John Lee Gaston White
Josephine, 2024. Jas Knight (b. 1977), oil on canvas, 52 x 45 inches.
In early 2024, Long Gallery Harlem commissioned artist Jas Knight to create a portrait for the Josephine Baker ballroom in the Ambassador's residence of the American Embassy in Paris. Recently, on October 9, the portrait was unveiled and received very well by all in attendance. We were welcomed into the Ambassador’s residence of the American Embassy in Paris by French ambassador to the United States, Denise Campbell Bauer and her wonderful staff for a beautiful evening of celebrating the legacy of Josephine Baker. We ultimately decided on Knight for this commission because of his distinctive portraiture style.
Along with the portrait, poet John White composed an original poem entitled Josephine to commemorate the life and legacy of Ms. Baker. Both White and Knight were able to attend the opening alongside gallery staff. We also welcomed five of Ms. Baker's children which made the event particularly special. Attendees also got to hear a live performance of White’s “Josephine” which you can find below.
The gallery was delighted to have fellow Harlemite Terri Johnson, owner of Harlem Candle Company, join us at the unveiling. Ms. Johnson graciously provided our distinguished guests with Josephine Baker inspired products including her signature Baker inspired perfume “Josephine.” Click here to check out Harlem Candle Company and their array of luxury home fragrances and products inspired by the Harlem Renaissance.
As we anticipate a recreation of the portrait to be house in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., we are excited to announce that we are selling limited-edition prints of Josephine. A portion of all revenue from print sales will go to the Josephine Baker foundation. Prints will be created in accordance with demand, so if you have any interest, please click here to make a reservation for purchase or head to the “For Purchase” tab in the navigation bar above.
Once again, we’d like to thank everyone involved in bringing this commission to life and are excited to continue to play a role in the creation of work like Josephine that amplify Black stories.
Artist Bio
Jas Knight was born in Hartford, CT. His talent for drawing was recognized at an early age. He sold his first painting at age seven and had his first one-man show at the age of eight. He went on to receive numerous awards and later went to study at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Jas currently lives in Brooklyn, NYC where he spends most days painting and drawing from life.
Original Poetry by John Lee Gaston White
To commemorate the portrait unveiling, Long Gallery Harlem commissioned the original poem Josephine by poet John Lee Gaston White. This poem, and a recording of the recitation by poet John Lee Gaston White at the unveiling, are available below.
Josephine
a poem written by John Lee Gaston White
Be quiet
here
as you enter
the temple is everywhere
Be still
here
watch time pass — tonight’s Star twinkles near Venus, crescent moons dancing, motioning picturesque; outside children snicker and laugh, tiny shadows, footsteps echoing on the pavement near the Panthéon; see the steeple and stained glass, hear the voices of twenty angels roaring with praise, their winged fingers weaving the beads of a pearl necklace at Heaven’s entryway
Be thankful
here
there were once bombs dropping, fighting raged on in wars of the world, the French resistance, underground, shouted “Liberte”
elders once swayed in circles across America, Sundays’ shoes marched on Washington to the drumbeat of “We shall overcome”
revolutionaries sparked aged waves of enlightenment, inspiring penned words, "we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal"
coming full circle
now flowers bloom in the places we thought not — a sign, each day, there is yet another chance to be born again
Be bold
here
may we never be afraid to dream
our unique tune has been written,
the Universe stores our secret inside infinity
for a time and a place
when destiny strikes the bell of our purpose
for a song is more than a song,
a voice is more than a voice,
a body is more than a body —
we must use what we have to set ourselves free
Be love
here
there was a miracle brought into this world Sainted by Louis in the Paris of the West ships and planes crossed the realms of seas Love of two loves, uniting.
a wonder of home away in a wonder of home.
now, here we stand, in Fairyland
to hear a song, to feel a voice, to honor a body of work, triumphantly, set aflame to light the candle of our hearts, shifting our skies into a tribe of chosen people, colorful hues, rainbows of fortune, divine promises of gold, wherever we are —
Bobino to Carnegie,
Belgrade to Palladium,
Haiti’ and La Revue Negre
Paris, Paris, Paris
singing to nights by the thousands,
slumbering forevermore to inked rave reviews
as we stand and sit, contemplate and honor, anointing
Be faithful
here
our fate is in each other's hands
creation is in the words of the song, eternity is in the sound of the words as they are uttered, spirit is the soul of the body
and the voice — what can be enshrined that is not already enshrined? how do we know when we’ve been touched by an Angel?
we feel it
here
in the atmosphere
swaying and weeping, tapping and clapping, standing and kneeling
remembering a past and imagining a future
dawning teardrops as medals
because we are free at last.
© 2024 John Lee Gaston White