BMA To Display Elijah Cummings’ Official Portrait Before It Heads To The Capitol

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — The Baltimore Museum Art volition show the authoritative representation of the late Rep. Elijah Cummings aboriginal this period earlier the coating is permanently installed astatine the U.S. Capitol, the depository announced Friday.

Painted by Baltimore creator Jerrell Gibbs, the representation depicts Cummings successful a bluish suit holding a gavel successful some his hands, inspired by the Justin T. Gellerson photograph connected the screen of Cummings’ autobiography, “We’re Better Than This: My Fight for the Future of Our Democracy.” The coating volition beryllium connected presumption from Dec. 22 done Jan. 9.

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Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, the lawmaker’s wife, said successful a connection she partnered with the museum’s director, Christopher Bedford, and different curators to committee the work. Two different section artists, Monica Ikegwu and Ernest Shaw, were connected the abbreviated database to seizure Cummings’ likeness.

“We are exceedingly pleased with the result. Jerrell Gibbs is simply a masterfully expressive creator and his stunning representation perfectly captures Elijah’s essence and majesty,” said Rockeymoore Cummings.

The lad of sharecroppers, Cummings grew up successful Baltimore during the 1950s. At property 11, helium was attacked erstwhile helium and his friends tried to integrate the Riverside Park Pool successful South Baltimore.

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Cummings went connected to be City College, Howard University and the University of Maryland School of Law. After 14 years successful the Maryland House of Delegates, Cummings won a peculiar predetermination to correspond Maryland’s 7th legislature district, a spot antecedently held by Kweisi Mfume, who near to go president and CEO of the NAACP.

Cummings served the territory from 1996 until his decease successful 2019. Mfume is erstwhile again the typical for the 7th.

At the commencement of 2019, Cummings became seat of the House Oversight Committee, and was a cardinal fig successful the impeachment enquiry into erstwhile President Donald Trump.

“Working connected a coating of specified large value meant truthful overmuch to me. I americium highly honored to person been considered and selected to overgarment the authoritative representation of The Honorable Elijah Cummings,” said Gibbs.

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Details astir the portrait’s installment successful the Capitol gathering volition beryllium announced astatine a aboriginal date, the depository said.

Brandon Weigel