"I often offer curators, collectors, museums & galleries my "Passion Fruit" Rhythmistic visual art exhibition that recontextualizes the healthy, iconic, life-giving Watermelon. When I say often, this goes way back to the last quarter of the 20th Century. Allow me to shed a little context on this masterful body of visual art. 

 I founded B.A.G. The Black Arts Guild in 1970 to facilitate us young talented Black artists' evolution from student to career level professionals. 

( This was after, as a 16-year-old teenager, I saw the frustration and devastation expressed in Chicago per both the riots following the murder of Dr. King along with the SDS-Hippie infused riots that beset the 1968 Democratic Convention. At that time, I was working as the Grill Chef at Stouffer's super popular, Top of the Rock Restaurant on the 40th floor of the Prudential Building.  Both times our Mayor Daley issued shot-to-kill orders along with a Dusk to dawn curfew. So, I had to stay there overnight pondering my life, being an artist and how to make a positive contribution as it appeared our Nation was unraveling.  Eureka!! I would start an Art-Gang! B.A.G. was formed two years later. )

An original member, Jim Smoote, set the pace for productivity and was doing some watermelon themed works. "

Poster by Dalton Brown.

 "We embraced it. IE; The Watermelon became our logo and we generated a bold assortment of visual art based on it. B.A.G lasted 8 years and was decommissioned in 1978. The Elders in the Black Art scene hated our concepts and further art historians would choose to marginalize B.A.G.s impressive footprint and legacy. Sort of like being Black-balled in Black circles for being universally Black."

"Stealmelon Thiefa" Circa 1975, Turtel Onli. Acrylics on canvas.

 

In 1976 for the Bicentennial of the United States of American B.A.G. was honored to be invited to present its watermelon themed artworks as a featured group exhibition in Chicago at the Museum of Science & Industry for its annual Black Esthetics Program. Per the vision of Douglas Williams, the event Executive Director. The exhibition was called "The 200 Year Old Watermelon Eater".

Photo, Melon, and Design by Turtel Onli

Most of its members went on to become influential visual artists in Illustration, Art Education, Art Therapy, Publishing, and Arts Management.

"Place Setting" was leased for a real estate sell. The actual art is still available to experience in exhibitions or to acquire.

Prof. Onli appreciating the solo exhibition at the ETA Complex.

Excerpts from the Rhythmistic "Passion Fruit" collection on display in Chicago

 at the Black Fine Art Expo in the historic Bronzeville District. 

"I still showcase watermelon themed bodies of Rhythmistic fine art called "Passion Fruit" per my studio in the Ravenswood District of Chicago. Oh, the almighty universal watermelon being red, black & green fits the symbolism of the very influentially successful Black Cultural Revolution of the 1960s / 1970s."

I was honored to do a B.A.G. revival exhibition 

with students at the Middlebury College in 2016 thanks to Tamir Williams.

Prof. Onli with an enthusiastic collector who had just acquired 

a watermelon themed Rhythmistic painting from the "Passion Fruit" collection.

" In fact, this posting is actually a scream to curators, museums, galleries and astute collectors that I want to showcase this collection of Watermelon themed Rhythmistic Fine Art on their watch.  In other words, this is a proposal."

Rhythmistic oil paintings by Turtel Onli.

 I ran across this set of prompts related to Art Musuems and such. Given that my practice in a feast for Musuems, galleries and curators in that I generate complete and expanding bodies or collections of distinct Rhythmistic treatments of visual art focused on a central theme. 

 Such as "No Evils", "Passion Fruit", and more. Ready-made and adaptable!

Plus, I am open to input on the parts of the client, host, sponsor or collector.

• What does it mean to be an art institution?
• How did the collection come into existence?
• What has changed due to taste, society, and popular thought?
• How do the Museums deal with the problematic objects housed within the collections?
• Why do the Museums continue to care and conserve certain objects, yet not others?
• Who are the donors that have made this possible?
• What is the future of museums and how does a museum fit into these new conversations about the role of museums?  

 CHICAGO- Rhythmistic: Future-Primitif Visual Artist, Prof. Turtel Onli often links, in his persistent practice, concepts that flow from Biblical themes to Cosmic fantasy.

His "Off The Cross" 44" X 30" acrylics on canvas painting from 1994 clearly informs his 2022 Oils on 24" X 36" wooden panel of "NOG Emerges". 

The first shows Jesus passionately transcending the limits of crucifixion. The second shows the emanated arrival of NOG to protect his home-world. Both are universally compelling museum collection worthy samples of Rhythmism from the genre's founder / advocate.