Through abstract shapes and bold colors, the horrors of racism and segregation of Jim Crow America came to life in Nellie Mae Rowe's brushstrokes.
Now, an upcoming documentary is tracing the life of the groundbreaking, self-taught artist. AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange, Black Public Media's Peabody Award-winning series, is featuring Rowe in "This World Is Not My Own."
Rowe, who lived in Fayetteville, created a distinctive body of work that has earned recognition at the High Museum of Art and institutions worldwide. Her yard became a famous folk art installation that drew visitors from across the country.
The documentary explores Rowe's creative process and her determination to make art despite the constraints of her era. Her work often addressed themes of spirituality, community, and the African American experience in the rural South.
The film adds to a growing body of work celebrating self-taught Southern artists who created outside mainstream art institutions.
