Bill Howell (1941-1975) Weusi Collective Collage - "Family Tree" AFA Exhibition
Artist: William L. "Bill" Howell (American, 1941–1975)
Title: Family Tree
Medium: Mixed media collage on board
Signature: Hand-signed "BHowell" in artwork lower right; inscribed on verso
Exhibition Provenance: The American Federation of Arts (AFA) - 300 Black Artists (1971–1973)
Description:
An important, historically significant mixed media collage by Harlem Black Arts Movement artist and Weusi Collective member William L. "Bill" Howell (1941–1975). Titled Family Tree, this compelling surrealist collage merges figurative portraiture, architectural motifs, and symbolic layered imagery.
Bill Howell was a key member of the Harlem-based Weusi Artist Collective (founded 1965), served as Art Director for Harlem's New Lafayette Theatre, and co-founded Pamoja Studio Gallery in 1967. Works by Howell are rare on the secondary market due to his untimely passing in 1975.
Estate Note:
This item comes from the personal estate of acclaimed actor Louis Gossett Jr. (1936–2024). A pioneering force in stage, film, and television, Gossett earned widespread recognition for his Emmy-winning role as Fiddler in the seminal 1977 miniseries Roots and made history as the first Black actor to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his iconic performance as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in An Officer and a Gentleman (1982). His distinguished six-decade career spanned classic Broadway productions like A Raisin in the Sun to major screen roles in Iron Eagle, Enemy Mine, and HBO's Watchmen.
Dimensions:
Artwork Sight: 18" W x 21 3/4" H
Framed: 25" W x 28" H
Exhibition & Provenance Details:
The reverse retains its original exhibition label from The American Federation of Arts (AFA) for the landmark nationwide touring exhibition 300 Black Artists (February 1971 – February 1973), explicitly cataloging this work under title #14: Family Tree. Also retains a vintage handwritten gallery tag ($1,500 original valuation).
Condition Report:
Artwork sheet has slipped slightly behind the mat aperture inside the frame and requires re-securing. The original wooden frame and backing show significant distress, decay, and rotting; sold in as-found condition, ideal candidate for archival reframing and conservation.
Shipping:
Ships from Los Angeles, CA
Artist: William L. "Bill" Howell (American, 1941–1975)
Title: Family Tree
Medium: Mixed media collage on board
Signature: Hand-signed "BHowell" in artwork lower right; inscribed on verso
Exhibition Provenance: The American Federation of Arts (AFA) - 300 Black Artists (1971–1973)
Description:
An important, historically significant mixed media collage by Harlem Black Arts Movement artist and Weusi Collective member William L. "Bill" Howell (1941–1975). Titled Family Tree, this compelling surrealist collage merges figurative portraiture, architectural motifs, and symbolic layered imagery.
Bill Howell was a key member of the Harlem-based Weusi Artist Collective (founded 1965), served as Art Director for Harlem's New Lafayette Theatre, and co-founded Pamoja Studio Gallery in 1967. Works by Howell are rare on the secondary market due to his untimely passing in 1975.
Estate Note:
This item comes from the personal estate of acclaimed actor Louis Gossett Jr. (1936–2024). A pioneering force in stage, film, and television, Gossett earned widespread recognition for his Emmy-winning role as Fiddler in the seminal 1977 miniseries Roots and made history as the first Black actor to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his iconic performance as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in An Officer and a Gentleman (1982). His distinguished six-decade career spanned classic Broadway productions like A Raisin in the Sun to major screen roles in Iron Eagle, Enemy Mine, and HBO's Watchmen.
Dimensions:
Artwork Sight: 18" W x 21 3/4" H
Framed: 25" W x 28" H
Exhibition & Provenance Details:
The reverse retains its original exhibition label from The American Federation of Arts (AFA) for the landmark nationwide touring exhibition 300 Black Artists (February 1971 – February 1973), explicitly cataloging this work under title #14: Family Tree. Also retains a vintage handwritten gallery tag ($1,500 original valuation).
Condition Report:
Artwork sheet has slipped slightly behind the mat aperture inside the frame and requires re-securing. The original wooden frame and backing show significant distress, decay, and rotting; sold in as-found condition, ideal candidate for archival reframing and conservation.
Shipping:
Ships from Los Angeles, CA
