Dorchester Center for the Arts is pleased to welcome University of Maryland Eastern Shore professor Pierre Bowins and his exhibition “A Sin of Omission: The Immoral Unbalance in the History of Graphic Design,” to be presented in the galleries for February 2023.

“’A Sin of Omission,’” states Bowins, “is my journey of researching the missing Black American diaspora in the field of graphic design. The purpose of my work is to bring to the forefront and create a dialog for those persons having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa who contributed to design with little to no recognition in the classroom and history books. My research is a collection of designers and makers as told by me, based on my impressions and it is always subject to revision and reinterpretation. This is not meant to discredit those designers having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe who have greatly impacted the design profession.”

His work focuses on many designers, including Charles C. Dawson, Charles Harrison, Georg Olden, Thomas Miller and more. Pierre is a lifelong maker and self-proclaimed design historian. His design and teaching methods utilize research-based theories to assist in the discovery of personal, cultural and historical identities while implementing design ideas within analog and digital media. His research largely focuses on exploring the history of graphic design and investigating the unbalance that exists within design history. He has built and continues to build a collection of archival works from notable Black designers of the past and has exhibited them at various educational institutions.

Bowins holds a Master of Fine Arts from Vermont College of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Maryland Institute College of Art. He is an active member of his local American Institute of Graphic Arts chapter, College Arts Association, and University and College Designers Association.

For more information on exhibits and additional activities at the Dorchester Center for the Arts, stop by 321 High Street, call 410-228-7782 or visit online at dorchesterarts.org. As the designated County Arts Council for Dorchester, DCA is committed to increasing access to the arts for all members of the community by supporting extensive outreach and educational opportunities in the arts. Please note that DCA will be closed for the holidays from Dec. 24 through Jan. 3, reopening Wednesday, Jan. 4. Programs at DCA are supported by the Maryland State Arts Council.