ABOUT WILLIE COLE
Willie Cole (b. 1955 in Somerville, New Jersey) is an American artist who lives and works in New Jersey. Renowned for his innovative use of found objects and everyday materials, Cole's work often explores themes of identity, memory, and the African American experience. His artistic practice is deeply influenced by his heritage and incorporates elements of African art and culture.
Cole's work has been the subject of numerous one-person museum exhibitions, reflecting his prominence in the contemporary art world. These include exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art, New York (1998), the Bronx Museum of the Arts (2001), Miami Art Museum (2001), Tampa Museum of Art (2004), University of Wyoming Art Museum (2006), Montclair Art Museum (2006), and the College of Wooster Art Museum (2013-14).
In 2010, a comprehensive survey of Cole's work on paper (1975-2010) was showcased at the James Gallery of the Graduate Center of the City University of New York and traveled to the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Sarah Moody Gallery of Art at the University of Alabama, and Rowan University Art Gallery in New Jersey.
His sculptures have been featured in significant group exhibitions, such as “Reconfiguring an African Icon: Odes to the Mask by Modern and Contemporary Artists from Three Continents” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (2011). In 2013, the traveling exhibition “Complex Conversations: Willie Cole Sculptures and Wall Works” opened at the Albertine Monroe-Brown Gallery at Western Michigan University.
Cole's work has continued to garner attention and accolades. In 2015, his pieces were included in “Represent: 200 Years of African American Art” at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and “Wild Noise: Artwork from the Bronx Museum of the Arts” at El Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Havana. The following year, his work was part of “Disguise: Masks and Global African Art” at the Brooklyn Museum.
“Willie Cole: On-Site” opened at the David C. Driskell Center at the University of Maryland in 2016 and traveled to the Museum of Art at the University of New Hampshire, and the Arthur Ross Gallery in Philadelphia. In 2017, Cole had solo exhibitions at the Snite Museum of Art at the University of Notre Dame and at the College of Architecture and Design Gallery at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. In 2019, “Willie Cole: Beauties” was exhibited at the Radcliffe Institute at Harvard University and “Willie Cole: Bella Figura” at Alexander and Bonin in New York.
Throughout his career, Willie Cole has received numerous awards and fellowships, recognizing his contribution to contemporary art. His work continues to resonate for its powerful commentary on cultural identity and history, making him a significant and influential artist of our time.
ABOUT MIKE “THE HORN DOCTOR” CORRIGAN
Mike Corrigan is the founder and president of B.A.C. Musical Instruments, located in Kansas City's historic Jazz District. With a deep passion for music and craftsmanship, he has dedicated his career to the art of musical instrument manufacturing and repair. After graduating from the Minnesota State College Southeast Technical for Band Instrument Repair, Mike apprenticed under Steve Shires, Chuck Shepherd, and Louis Anderson in Hopedale, MA. He then took a temporary position during the infancy of the Greenhoe Custom Trombone company before deciding to return to New England to further develop a higher level of craftsmanship. Mike worked alongside John Duda at Calicchio Custom Trumpet Company in Tulsa, OK, and contributed to revitalizing the Earl Williams Trombone Company before ultimately launching full-time efforts to create B.A.C. Custom Brass Instruments in the Kansas City area.
In 2001, Mike established B.A.C. Horn Doctor, which later evolved into B.A.C. Musical Instruments. The company is renowned for its high-quality custom brass instruments, which have been used by top musicians worldwide, including musicians that back the likes of Wynton Marsalis' Jazz at Lincoln Center, Bruno Mars, Trombone Shorty, Paul McCartney, and many more.
Mike has also collaborated with renowned artist Willie Cole as the Chief Fabricator of 'Ornithology,' a prominent art installation at Kansas City International Airport. Additionally, he is the co-founder of Visual Jazz KC, LLC, an initiative aimed at promoting jazz and visual arts in Kansas City.
Following Hurricane Katrina, Mike played a crucial role in restoring the musical community in New Orleans. He brought a mobile musical instrument repair facility from Kansas City to offer free instrument repairs and collected and donated instruments to musicians in need. He also provided services for area schools in New Orleans. This work earned him the Key to the City of New Orleans from Mayor Mitch Landrieu. Today, this effort has culminated in an initiative with members of the New Orleans School Board and the Bayou District Foundation to develop a Musical Instrument Repair program, tentatively slated to open in or near the Treme' neighborhood in the Fall of 2025.
Mike is a proud Eagle Scout and served as one of four Band Directors for the Inaugural World Scout Jamboree Band. This was the first time in 100 years that the World Scouting Organization had a World Jamboree Band, thanks primarily to the sponsorship by B.A.C. Musical Instruments LLC, which provided instruments for Scouts from around the world to attend and perform.
Beyond his business endeavors, Mike serves as an advisor and ambassador for Creative Cities KC, the organization managing and curating Kansas City’s designation and recognition by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), as a Creative City, Kansas City, is the first and presently the only UNESCO ‘City of Music’ in the United States. Through this role, he collaborates with various organizations to uplift and support the musical community, both locally and globally.
For more information about Mike and his work, visit B.A.C. Musical Instruments