Black Art in America (BAIA), an online portal that records, advertises and conserves the art of Black Americans, will unveil its brick-and-mortar location in East Point, Georgia this May.
Created in 2010, BAIA made a name for itself in the art world. The company boasts over 145,000 Instagram followers and caught the attention of celebrity fans, including former NBA player Grant Hill.
The company’s CEO Najee Dorsey and CFO Seteria Dorsey purchased the property for the upcoming headquarters, which was previously a church, in a prime location near Greenbriar Mall, Tyler Perry Studios and Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
The building underwent a dramatic transformation from a layout with many rooms to an open exhibition space. In keeping with the Dorsey-owned company Garden Art for the Soul, artistic representations of Black American cultural figures will adorn the lawn.
Opening day will bring a roaring celebration with special performances, an art exhibition, and a few surprises Najee Dorsey is saving for the occasion.
“We want to be a magnet for those who are interested in Black visual culture. We want to be a magnet for those who are interested in learning more and getting engaged. We want to celebrate our culture in an international city,” Najee Dorsey told The Atlanta Journal Constitution. “Atlanta is where we can add a lot of value and that’s why we’re here!”
BAIA’s sales website buyblackart.com is no stranger to lucrative art commerce, with art pieces bought and sold by the company totaling millions.
For those just entering the world of fine art, the company’s free virtual collectors course helps aspiring Black art connoisseurs learn the essentials of collection, from managing a budget to finding the art they enjoy.
Najee Dorsey, a successful artist himself, came up with the idea for BAIA while dining with a group of painters over a decade ago.
“We were talking about the lack of representation and lack of access to collectors in the Black community,” said Dorsey in an interview with The Atlanta Journal Constitution. “As someone who was plugged into an art world that was off the grid, I knew I could be an advocate for emerging artists . . . and represent artists as a gallerist. And I knew I could share my knowledge to help patrons curate new works and build their collections.”
