BIOGRAPHY
Michelangelo Lovelace (1960-2021) lived and worked in Cleveland, Ohio for the majority of his career. The subject matter of his art ranges from quotidian scenes of city life, to policing, poverty, war, and personal investigations of Black Identity. His work has been presented in solo exhibitions at Springfield Museum of Art in Ohio, Cleveland School of the Arts, Progressive Insurance Corporate Headquarters, and University of Illinois at Chicago. He has been included in group exhibitions at MOCA Cleveland, Cleveland State University Art Gallery, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and Case Western Reserves University. Lovelace won the Cleveland Arts Prize Mid-Career Artist in 2015 and multiple Ohio Arts Council Individual Artist Grants for Painting. His work is included in the permanent collection of Akron Art Museum, Akron, OH; Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH; Artist Archives of the Western Reserve, Cleveland, OH; Bunker Artspace, West Palm Beach, FL; Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH; Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, OH; Figge Art Museum, Davenport, IA; JP Morgan Chase Art Collection, New York, NY; Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO; McEvoy Foundation for the Arts, San Francisco, CA; Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, Durham, NC; Progressive Insurance Collection, Mayfield Village, OH; Springfield Museum of Art, Springfield, OH; Studio Museum, New York, NY; and Weisman Art Museum, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
EDUCATION
1984
Cleveland Institute of Art
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024
Michelangelo Lovelace: Art Saved My Life, Akron Art Museum, Akron, OH
2020
Michelangelo Lovelace: Brick City, Harper’s, East Hampton, New York, NY
Michelangelo Lovelace: Nightshift, Fort Gansevoort (online exhibition)
2019
EXPO Chicago, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL
2018
Michelangelo Lovelace: The Land, Paintings from 1994 – 2016, Fort Gansevoort, New York, NY
2015
Good People with Bad Habits, Front Gallery, Cleveland, OH
2013
The Neighborhood, The Jack and Linda Lissauer Gallery at Shaker Historical Society, Shaker Heights, OH
Streetology: Cleveland Through the Eyes of Michelangelo Lovelace, Maria Neil Art Project, Cleveland, OH
2012
A Retrospective Exhibition of the Art of Michelangelo Lovelace Sr., The Artist Archives of the Western Reserve, Cleveland, OH
2011
Living for the City, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Pittsburgh, PA
2006
Erotic Drawings, Lindsay Gallery, Columbus, OH; Kibibi’s Art Gallery, Columbus, OH (traveling exhibition)
2005
Exotic Drawings and Prints of Michelangelo Lovelace, Zygote Press, Cleveland, OH
2004
The Reverend & Michelangelo, Headfooters Outsider Art Gallery, Cleveland, OH; Keny Galleries, Columbus, OH (traveling exhibitions)
2003
Urban Landscapes: Michelangelo Lovelace Paintings, Springfield Museum of Art, OH
2002
Artist of the Month, Gallery Hessam, Cleveland, OH
2001
Urban Paths, Kelly Randall Gallery, Cleveland, OH; Bolton Gallery, Cleveland, OH (traveling exhibition)
2000
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
1999
Growing Up in the Hood, African American Cultural Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL; University Hospitals of Cleveland/Humphrey Atrium Gallery, Cleveland, OH; Cleveland School of the Arts, Cleveland, OH (traveling exhibition)
1998
City Life, The Cleveland Playhouse, Cleveland, OH
1997
Growing up in the Hood, Progressive Insurance Corporate Headquarters, Mayfield Village, OH; FAVA Gallery, Oberlin, OH (traveling exhibition)
1995
The Colonial Gallery, Cleveland, OH
Jazz Exhibition, Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland, OH; Kent State University, Kent, OH (traveling exhibition)
1994
Growing up in the Hood, Karamu House, Cleveland, OH
1993
You Have the Right to Remain Silent, The Black Box Gallery, Cleveland, OH; CafeĢ Africa, Cleveland, OH (traveling exhibition)
1991
Afrocentric Expression, Ujima Studio Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2021
Next To You, McEvoy Foundation for the Arts, San Francisco, CA
2020-21
New Acquisitions and Old Friends, Ellen Johnson Gallery, Oberlin, OH
2019
seenUNseen, The Artist Archives of the Western Reserve, Cleveland, OH
Plumb Line: Charles White and the Contemporary, California African American Museum, Los Angeles, CA
2018
CAN Triennial ’18, Maria Neil Art Project, Cleveland, OH
2017
The First 100+ Days, SPACES, Cleveland, OH
2016
Fandom 216: The Art of Sports in NE Ohio, Waterloo Arts, Cleveland, OH; Hedge Gallery, Cleveland, OH; Zygote Press, Cleveland, OH (traveling exhibition)
2015
How to Remain Human, MOCA Cleveland, Cleveland, OH
The First 100+ Days, Kent State University, Kent, OH
2014
Heritage Through Visual Rhythms: National Juried Art Exhibition, National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center Black, Wilberforce, OH
2011
Intuitive Visions, Wall Eye Gallery, Cleveland, OH
2010
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, The American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, Baltimore, MD
2009
Between the Cracks, A Tale of Two Cities, Spaces 237 Gallery, Toledo, OH
Each in Their Own Voice: African American Artists in Cleveland, 1970-2005, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH
2008
Bi-Lingual, SPACES, Cleveland, OH; The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH (traveling exhibition)
2007
Bruno Casiano Gallery, Cleveland, OH
Chicago Outsider Art Fair, Lindsay Gallery, Chicago, IL.
2005
Visual Tales: Art by Michelangelo Lovelace, Gail Newman and Paul W. Patton, The Cleveland Artist Foundation, Cleveland, OH
2004
Outsider Art Fair, Keny Galleries Booth, New York, NY
2003
43rd Biennial Hallinan-Ursuline Religious Art Group Show, Ursuline College, Cleveland, OH
Distinct Voices: Four Cleveland Artists Group Exhibition, Headfooters Art Gallery, Cleveland, OH
2002
48 Hours of Art, Lake Erie College, Painesville, OH
2001
Cleveland Biennial, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH
2000
2nd Annual National Arts Program, The Kelly Randall Gallery, Cleveland, OH
The Beck Center for the Arts, Lakewood, OH
Life in the City, The Beck Center for the Arts and The Cleveland Artists Foundation, Lakewood, OH
1999
48 Hours of Art, Lake Erie College, Painesville, OH
M. G. Slimes, Lakewood, OH
63rd Annual Mid-Year Exhibition, The Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, OH
1998
An American Regionalism in The 21st Century, William Busta Gallery, Cleveland, OH
1997
N.B.A. All Star Weekend, Renaissance Hotel, Cleveland, OH
1996
Tensions: Three Artists Respond, SPACES, Cleveland, OH
1995
Cleveland Artist Rock: A wop a look bop, a wop boom, Cleveland, OH
Martin Luther King Library, Cleveland, OH
1994
Ethnic Expression Art Show, Lakeland Community College, Lakeland, OH
1993
In Plain View: Three Artist Exhibition, The Cleveland Center for Contemporary Arts, Cleveland, OH
Artist of Color Surmounting Fences and Artworld Censorship, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH
1990
Art Bash, The Hodge School Artist Complex, Cleveland, OH
1989
Summer Festival, Cedar Estate August, Cleveland, OH
1988
The Artist Focus “88”: A Designated Bicentennial Event, Chapter of Link, Inc., Cincinnati, OH
Just Stop and Listen, Lima, OH
1987
Summer Festival, Fairfax Recreation Center, Cleveland, OH; Carver Park Estate, Cleveland, OH (traveling exhibition)
AWARDS, GRANTS, AND FELLOWSHIPS
2015
Cleveland Arts Prize Mid-Career Artist, Cleveland, OH
2003
Creative Workforce Fellowship
2000
2nd Place Award, 2nd Annual National Arts Program Exhibit and Contest for City of Cleveland
1999
Ohio Art Council Individual Artist Grant for Painting
1997
Ohio Art Council Individual Artist Grant for Painting
RESIDENCIES
2005
Zygote Press, Cleveland, OH
COMMISSIONS
2002
Rozelle Elementary School, Cleveland, OH
2000
Linden School, Elyria, OH
Oberlin Early Childhood Center, Oberlin, OH
Y-Haven Two Program Painting Class, Carl B. Stokes Building, Cleveland, OH
1999
Cleveland School of Arts, Cleveland, OH
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Akron Art Museum, Akron, OH
Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
The Artist Archives of the Western Reserve, Cleveland, OH
The Bunker Artspace, West Palm Beach, FL
Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, OH
Figge Art Museum, Davenport, IA
JP Morgan Chase Art Collection, New York, NY
Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO
McEvoy Foundation for the Arts, San Francisco, CA
Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, Durham, NC
Progressive Insurance Collection, Mayfield Village, OH
Springfield Museum of Art, Springfield, OH
Studio Museum in Harlem, New York, NY
Weisman Art Museum, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
PUBLICATIONS
2015
Bouthiller, Rose, etal. How to remain human. Cleveland: MOCA Cleveland, 2015.
2014
Black Heritage through Visual Rhythms. Wilberforce: National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center Black, 2014.
2009
Each in Their Own Voice: African American Artists in Cleveland, 1970-2005. Cleveland: Cleveland State University, 2009.
2005
Plevin, Gloria and Rotraud Sackerlotzy. Visual Tales: Michelangelo Lovelace, Gail Newman, and Paul W. Patton: Cleveland Artists Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, October 15, 2005-January 2, 2006, Cleveland: Cleveland Artists Foundation, 2005.
PRESS
2024
Meier, Allison C Meier, “Michelangelo Lovelace; Cleveland By Night.” Raw Vision. Summer 2024
Litt, Steven, “Akron Art Museum’s posthumous Michelangelo Lovelace retrospective gives major NEO Black artist his due.” Cleveland.com (The Plain Dealer). May 30.
Wise, Carrie, “Akron Art Museum spotlights Michelangelo Lovelace and his Cleveland paintings.” WYSO. May 9.
Westfall, Ilona, “Paint the Town.” Ohio Magazine. May 1.
Davidson, Lisa, “Michelangelo Lovelace, Cleveland by Night: Michelangelo Lovelace's singular approach to portraying nightlife, society and Black identity is explored in New York exhibition...” We Heart. February 27.
2023
Shinozaki, Yasu. “AMAM Invites Local Musicians to Celebrate Shared Art Program Painting.” The Oberlin Review. May 5.
2022
Valentine, Victoria L. “Lives: A Look Back at Notable Artists and Designers Who Died in 2021, From Judson Powell to Winfred Rembert and Virgil Abloh.” Culture Type. January 7.
2021
“In Memoriam: Remembering the Curators, Artists, Writers, and Dealers We Lost in 2021.” Artnet. December 29.
Wild, Stephi. “The Studio Museum In Harlem Acquires 'Concrete Jungle' By Michelangelo Lovelace.” Broadway World. December 6.
Sandomir, Richard. “Michelangelo Lovelace, Artist of Street Life in Cleveland, Dies at 60.” The New York Times. May 7.
Valentine, Victoria L. “Artist Michelangelo Lovelace Sr., Who Documented the Challenges of Life in Urban Cleveland, Has Died at Age 60.” Cultured Type. April 29.
Selvin, Claire. “Michelangelo Lovelace, Compassionate Painter of Cleveland’s Community, Has Died at 60.” ARTnews. April 28.
2020
Segal, Mark. “The Art Scene 10.15.20.” The East Hampton Star. October 15.
Brara, Noor. “Twenty Years Ago, Michelangelo Lovelace Began Making Stirring Portraits of Black Nursing Home Patients. Today, His Work Is More Relevant Than Ever.” Artnet. July 1.
Desmole, Lola. “Simone Leigh, Michelangelo Lovelace, and More Must-See Shows.” Whitewall. June 25.
Team Mojarto, “Nightshift: Michelangelo Lovelace.” Mojarto. June 19.
Anania, Billy. “Tender Pencil and Ink Drawings Pay Tribute to Nursing Home Residents.” Hyperallergic. June 9.
Keener, Katherine. “In new online exhibition, Michelangelo Lovelace pays homage to some of society’s most invisible.” Art Critique. June 8.
Fujishima, Kenji. “Michelangelo Lovelace Finds Dignity and Grace in These Fraught Times.” Fine Art Globe. June 4.
Bedard, Matthew. “Michelangelo Lovelace’s “Nightshift” via Fort Gansevoort.” Flaunt Magazine. May 28.
2019
Izrael, Jimi. “Michelangelo Lovelace: True Story.” CAN Journal. Fall.
Segall, Grant. “Arts Booster Fred Bidwell create museum, festival and more: My Cleveland.” Cleveland.com. October 30.
James Knowles, Dennis. “Meet Michelangelo Lovelace.” ideastream. September 3.
Armstrong, Annie. “Here’s the Exhibitor List for Expo Chicago 2019.” ARTnews. June 3.
“’Plumb Line: Charles White and the Contemporary’ at California African American Museum.” Blouin Artinfo. March 26.
2018
“Art Inspired by This Season’s Books: What happens on Page 76 in five new titles as envisioned by the artist Michelangelo Lovelace.” The New York Times Style Magazine. September 26.
Scott, Andrea K. “Goings on About Town.” The New Yorker. June 18.
Marchini, Gloria. “Michelangelo Lovelace.” Outsider Art Now. May 3.
Steinhauer, Jillian. “What to See in New York Art Galleries This Week.” The New York Times. May 31.
Graves, Cassidy Dawn. "Feminine Power, Queer Nightlife, and More Art This Week.” Bedford and Bowery. April 30.
Halle, Howard. "The top five New York art shows this week.” Time Out New York. April 30.
2017
Chambers, Angela. “’Art of Dissent’ Reflects Dissatisfaction With The Status Quo.’” Wish Cleveland. September 7.
“Artist Michelangelo Lovelace.” Zip Code: The Hidden Vital Sign. August 15.
Litt, Steven. “Wit trumps against anger in exhibits.” Plain Dealer. May 7.
2016
Utter, Douglas Max. “In Cleveland, Two Artists Picture the Ugly Realities of American Politics.” Hyperallergic. July 26.
Steinhauer, Jillian. “The Cleveland Artists Waiting For Donald Trump.” The Guardian. July 16.
Oprea, Mark. “Michelangelo Lovelace Paints a True Picture of America in a New Exhibit.” Cleveland Magazine. July 15.
2015
Collins, Elena Harvey. “Michelangelo Lovelace: Meet Me at the Crossroads.” MOCA Cleveland.
Hayes, Ebony L. “Looking Back from the Future at Michelangelo Lovelace Sr.” MOCA Cleveland.
Usmani, Josh. “Renewal: 2731 Prospect opens with two exhibitions.” Cleveland Scene. September 16.
Litt, Steven. “Owner of new gallery in Busta space to offer ‘challenging work.’” The Plain Dealer. September 16.
Usmani, Josh. “Bold Prospects.” Cleveland Scene. August 12.
Litt, Steven. “Artists look at region’s challenges with dignity, honor.” The Plain Dealer. July 17.
Usmani, Josh. “Michelangelo Lovelace Discusses Community, Art at Happy Dog Tonight.” Clevescene. July 9.
Connors, Joanna. “Arts prize recognizes culture’s champions.” The Plain Dealer. June 21.
Connors, Joanna. “Belkins, Stanczak win ’15 Arts Prizes.” The Plain Dealer. May 5.
2013
Chilcote, Lee. “Creative Workforce Grants Support Artists While Transforming ‘Rust Belt’ Into ‘Artist Belt.’” FreshWater. January 10.
2012
Rosenberg, Donald. “20 artists are given fellowship awards.” The Plain Dealer. December 14.
Clark, Joseph. “At The Artists Archives: Our Home Town.” Cleveland Scene. June 13.
Hunt, Nikki. “Man About Town.” Cleveland Magazine. May 15.
2011
Shaw, Kurt. “3 exhibits stand out at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts.” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. April 20.
“Short list.” Pittsburgh City Paper. April 7.
Buster, Dennis. “Michelangelo Lovelace: Painting Urban America.” Soul Pitt Quarterly. Spring.
2010
Spector, Kate. “ER nurse tries to reach youths before it’s too late.” The Plain Dealer. December 28.
2009
“4 fairs beckon in Ann Arbor.” The Toledo Blade. July 16.
Bembnister, Theresa. “Voices Raised.” Cleveland Scene. February 11
Litt, Steven. “Black artists’ exhibit a moving experience.” The Plain Dealer. February 5.
2008
Utter, Douglas Max. “Being in Twoplaces: Twelve artists find themselves at SPACES.” Cleveland Scene. September 10.
Litt, Steven. “Story of artistic outsider and his admirers.” The Plain Dealer. September 5.
“Michelangelo Lovelace.” Bi-Lingüe Bi-Lingual. September 5.
Trickey, Erick. “Louder than Words.” Cleveland Magazine. August 22.
2007
“Michelangelo Lovelace.” Cleveland Magazine. December.
Brett, Regina. “A river of fear runs through city.” The Plain Dealer. September 21.
“The Art World’s Weekly Roundup.” New York Social Diary. September 18.
Millner, Gloria. “An Editorial: What’s Wrong With This Picture?” The Plain Dealer. September 17.
Litt, Steven. “Clinic explains painting protests.” The Plain Dealer. September 12.
Litt, Steven. “Clinic’s removal of ‘biased’ work surprises artist.” The Plain Dealer. September 8.
2006
Zollinger Turner, Tracy. “Intimate Images.” Columbus Alive. September 7.
Mayr, Bill. “Urban scenes reflect school of hard knocks.” The Columbus Dispatch. March 23.
2005
Litt, Steven. “1 World, 3 Views: ‘Outsider’ works stress different perspectives.” The Plain Dealer. December 29.
Dean, Sharon. “Regional Art: Defining Our Sense of Place.” artefakt. October/November.
2004
Bracken Sparks, Amy. “Storytelling painters serve up some intriguing surprises.” The Plain Dealer. September 24.
Robinson, Debra. “Touched by an angel: An interview with artist Michelangelo Lovelace.” Call & Post. February 19.
Robinson, Debra. “Cleveland artist Michelangelo Lovelace to show at Keny Gallery.” Call & Post. January 22.
Hall, Jacqueline. “Common culture: Painter, woodcarver tell stories through bold images.” The Columbus Dispatch. January 18.
2003
Mayr, Bill. “Central Ohio shows offer way of keeping winter blues at bay.” The Columbus Dispatch. January 23.
McGinn, Andrew. “Experience yields ‘Urban Landscapes.’” Springfield News-Sun. January 11.
2002
Lebeau, Eleanor. “Outsider Art Is In.” Cleveland Scene. December 13.
2001
Steven, Litt. “Cityscape master gives us Cleveland.” The Plain Dealer. May 11.
Peery, Richard. “Artist’s optimism shines in urban street scenes.” The Plain Dealer. January 12.
2000
Washington, Julie E. “Bright mural marks neighborhood’s resurgence.” The Plain Dealer. August 16.
1999
Tranberg, Dan. “Caught in an Artistic Time Warp.” The Plain Dealer. December 8.
“‘The Promise Land.’” Call & Post. November 4.
Gray-Kontar, Daniel. “The Second Coming of Michael Angelo.” Cleveland Free Times. February 17.
1998
Litt, Steven. “Lovelace’s inner city pulses with hope.” The Plain Dealer. February 15.
“Michelangelo has Art Exhibit at Play House.” Call & Post. February 12.
Litt, Steven. “William Busta Gallery winds down on high note.” The Plain Dealer. January 2.
1997
Putre, Laura. “Down the Street.” Cleveland Free Times. August 27.
Drexler, Michael. “Open Studio Days sow seeds for good times.” The Plain Dealer. May 16.
1996
“Arnold and Lovelace featured during NOVAs 10th Open Studio Days.” Call & Post. May 16.
Litt, Steven. “Lovelace sums up urban contradictions.” The Plain Dealer. March 22.
“Cleveland at its Grittiest shown in Lovelace Paintings.” The Plain Dealer. February 23.
“Spaces to exhibit ‘Tensions: Three Painters Respond.’” Call & Post. February 22.
1994
Litt, Steven. “Cleveland Through the Eyes of Artists.” The Plain Dealer. December 25.
Forte, Roland. “Artist depicts urban street scenes at Karamu.” Call & Post. October 13.
1993
Litt, Steven. “‘In Plain View’ exhibit worthy of longer run.” The Plain Dealer. June 5.
Litt, Steven. “It was a good idea but… CSU exhibit fails to show racial censorship for artists.” The Plain Dealer. April 4.
FILM
2017
Applause: Artist Michelangelo Lovelace, Community Gardening, PBS (documentary short)
2001
Artist of the Week, Fox Channel 8 (documentary short)
2000
My Life’s Work: Featured Story of the Day, Fox Channel 8 (documentary short)