Ernie Wolfe III

Ernie Wolfe III (born July 30, 1950 in Los Angeles, California) is an art curator, gallerist, outdoorsman, field researcher, and author specializing in contemporary and traditional African art. His specialties include Ghanaian film posters, fantasy coffins, pop art, and commercial art, as well as traditional sculpture from across Africa.

Wolfe is also known for his deep connections with many Los Angeles artists including Ed Moses, Billy Al Bengston, Chris Burden, Lita Albuquerque, Peter Alexander, Gwynn Murrill, Tony Berlant, Larry Bell, and Charles Arnoldi, and for juxtaposing their work alongside African art. He also discovered several acclaimed African artists including Joseph Bertiers.

Early life and education Wolfe was raised in Westwood and on Mulholland Drive as the son of Clare Wolfe and Ernie Wolfe Jr. He graduated from Harvard School for boys in 1968 and from Williams College in 1973 with a degree in Spanish Literature. After his focus shifted to African art in 1975, he studied under Roy Sieber, the first tenured African art professor in the United States Two years later he opened a gallery in West Los Angeles called Turkana Primitive and Fine Arts. He expanded to another gallery space, the Ernie Wolfe Gallery in 1989, and to a third gallery, EW3 Gallery, in 2016. Wolfe continues to exhibit, donate, and deal art alongside his wife Diane Wolfe and sons Ernest IV and Russell in Los Angeles.

Selected publications