A Legacy in Art: PVAMU unveils commissioned Sesquicentennial masterpiece

Prairie View A&M University’s 150-year story found new expression through art as the University unveiled Rooted in Resilience. Rising in Eminence., its official commissioned Sesquicentennial painting, during a signature celebration at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum on August 11. The unveiling marked one of eight official Sesquicentennial Signature Events commemorating the University’s historic milestone.

Created exclusively for PVAMU’s yearlong Sesquicentennial celebration, the deeply personal work by acclaimed artist and Prairie View A&M alumna Charis Kelley transforms the University’s defining theme into a visual narrative celebrating the spirit, vision and determination that have shaped Prairie View since 1876.

The painting brings together symbols that reflect the many dimensions of the Prairie View A&M experience, including teaching, research, agriculture, engineering, leadership, athletics, music and the arts. At the heart of the composition, a torch bearing the University’s founding year emerges from roots intertwined with strands of DNA, symbolizing the heritage, perseverance and collective strength of generations of Panthers.

The work serves as a lasting testament to the University’s enduring legacy and its commitment to educating leaders who transform communities around the world.

For Kelley, the commission carries a deeply personal significance.

“This is one of the greatest honors of my life. Prairie View A&M University saw something in me long before I fully saw it in myself. It shaped me as an artist, as a professional and as a woman, so to return home and create a work that tells the story of the University that gave me so much is deeply personal. I am incredibly grateful to President Tomikia P. LeGrande for believing in me and trusting me with this responsibility. My hope is that every Panther, whether they graduated decades ago or are just beginning their journey, will find a piece of themselves in this painting and be reminded that our story is still being written,” she said.

Kelley credits a conversation with President LeGrande following a campus event with opening the door to the project. What began as a chance connection evolved into months of collaboration, culminating in a permanent work of art that honors Prairie View A&M’s past while inspiring its future.

A Houston native, Kelley is a nationally recognized multidisciplinary artist whose work spans painting, mixed media, ceramics and large-scale public art. Her work has been exhibited across the country, including at Art Basel Miami, the African American Museum in Liberty City and the WACO Wearable Art Gala.

Following the Sesquicentennial celebration, Rooted in Resilience. Rising in Eminence. will become part of PVAMU’s permanent collection, where it will continue inspiring students, alumni and visitors for generations to come.

The unveiling represents another chapter in PVAMU’s 150-year story, one that honors the University’s roots while looking toward the future.

Reproductions of Rooted in Resilience. Rising in Eminence. are available for purchase through Basham Fine Art.

Learn more about PVAMU’s Sesquicentennial: pvamu.edu/150

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