It was the homecoming Dr. Charles Smith had prayed for.
On Friday, the 85-year-old sculptor, who created controversy as well as hundreds of pieces of visionary African American folk art during his many years in Aurora, was honored by the city that at one time seemed to turn its back on this man now often described as an icon.
An enthusiastic throng of fans gathered at the Aurora Public Art gallery in the David L. Pierce Art & History Center on Downer Place in downtown Aurora to meet Smith and to view the exhibition “A Truth in Stone and Spirit,” which Curator Sangeeta Pande described as a “rare opportunity for the community to engage with a living legend, whose work is preserved by major institutions.”
The Aurora art gallery already has a permanent display of 19 sculptures created by “Doc,” but “A Truth in Stone and Spirit” – open through April 24 – features dozens of additional pieces on loan from the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, as well as framed photographs, news stories, personal memories and national narratives.
All of which document Smith’s compelling narrative seeded in the trauma he experienced as a Purple Heart Marine in Vietnam and as a Black man in America, and that grew on his Aurora property, where memory, protest and healing took physical form through bold expressive sculptures made from wood, metal, cement mixtures and found materials.
Smith transformed his yard and home into an outdoor environment called the African American Heritage Museum and Black Veterans’ Archive that showcased hundreds of these colorful and symbolic sculptures, along with painted buildings and surfaces with written messages about slavery, war, racism and justice.
However, complaints from neighbors and city officials as the property became crowded and fell into disrepair brought more pain for this intuitive human-centered artist. But the Kohler Foundation, recognizing his creations as powerful visuals of African American history and especially the experiences of Black veterans, purchased hundreds of pieces – documenting, displaying and distributing them to be appreciated across the country and beyond.
In the fall of 2021, the Kohler Foundation elevated his reputation even more when Smith was named an Artist in Residence.
There were always local leaders who appreciated his talents, with some on hand Friday to celebrate this homecoming. That included former Kane County Board Chair Mike McCoy, who helped secure grants for the rehab of Smith’s museum, and former director of the Aurora Public Art Commission Rena Church, longtime friend and advocate who led the charge in making Smith’s welcome-home exhibition a reality.
But there’s no question the artist and ordained minister, who credits God for showing “me how to do it,” failed in past years to get the recognition he deserved from his hometown. And when he left for Hammond, Louisiana, in 2002 after his mother became ill, Smith did so with sadness and bitterness.
“Bad things happened because he was not taken seriously” by those “who did not understand what intuitive art is,” insisted Church.
It was a breakup that truly “weighed on Doc’s heart” — one he wanted to resolve before he died, said Chicago philanthropist Lionel Rabb, founder of the Lionel Rabb Family Foundation, which has made it a mission to preserve Smith’s legacy and work, especially in his hometown.
“Aurora is a big deal to Doc,” said Rabb, who is chair of the National Veterans Art Museum in Chicago and began working with Smith in 2021. “He always thinks of Aurora as his home.”
The feeling seems mutual. Not only did Aurora Mayor John Laesch honor Smith at his first State of the City address on Thursday evening, the following day at this celebratory meet-and-greet, he delivered a proclamation declaring the artist’s Veterans Day birthday as “Dr. Charles Smith Day in Aurora.”
Laesch even asked the sculptor his thoughts on the old SciTech building in downtown Aurora – which the city suggested be turned into a cultural center. While Smith tactfully deflected that question, Church and other supporters would like to see a portion of the downtown building used for a larger display of his work.
Which continues to be prolific: all the sculptures on display at this event in Aurora were made by the artist in the last two months.
No matter what the future holds, it was clear just how special Friday was for Smith who, in his remarks following the mayor’s proclamation, admitted to being “overwhelmed.”
“Hammond was always just an assignment. But Aurora is my home,” he said, thanking the current city administration and those who turned out to celebrate him.
“I love you guys for taking the time to show up and make this … a very special day in my life.”
dcrosby@tribpub.com
