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Walking through the Studio Museum in Harlem is like walking through a textbook - so many power players throughout history. Each artwork contributes to a collective that documents what was happening in the world when the art was made and what was and is still important about society and culture regarding Black life. Seeing so many seminal works that define the oeuvres of Black artists is so awe inspiring for their insight and bravery. The new building design allows for so much more space to exhibit such great art. I was especially thrilled by the museum’s gallery that displayed the works of many of the artists that went through the storied Studio Museum in Harlem Artist in Residence Program. I’m looking forward to the many exhibitions the museum will hold very much.

1. Norman Lewis, Bonfire, 1962
2. David Hammons, Untitled, 2019
3. Richard Hunter, Hybrid Form #3, 1970
4. Edward Mitchell Bannister, Untitled, 1878
5. Betye Saar, Indigo Mercy, 1975
6. Diedrick Brackens, blesses are the mosquitoes, 2020
7. Karon Davis, Fix Me, 2023
8. Residency Participants
9. Barbara Chase Riboud, Le Manteau or Cleopatra’s Cape, 1974

Walking through the Studio Museum in Harlem is like walking through a textbook - so many power players throughout history. Each artwork contributes to a collective that documents what was happening in the world when the art was made and what was and is still important about society and culture regarding Black life. Seeing so many seminal works that define the oeuvres of Black artists is so awe inspiring for their insight and bravery. The new building design allows for so much more space to exhibit such great art. I was especially thrilled by the museum’s gallery that displayed the works of many of the artists that went through the storied Studio Museum in Harlem Artist in Residence Program. I’m looking forward to the many exhibitions the museum will hold very much.

1. Norman Lewis, Bonfire, 1962
2. David Hammons, Untitled, 2019
3. Richard Hunter, Hybrid Form #3, 1970
4. Edward Mitchell Bannister, Untitled, 1878
5. Betye Saar, Indigo Mercy, 1975
6. Diedrick Brackens, blesses are the mosquitoes, 2020
7. Karon Davis, Fix Me, 2023
8. Residency Participants
9. Barbara Chase Riboud, Le Manteau or Cleopatra’s Cape, 1974

Please check out my most recent blog post by visiting my website, The Third Eye site (link in bio) and/or my Substack of the same name. If you’re interested in my creative journey, what I’m reading about creativity, and some strategies for being a more disciplined creative, sign up for my newsletter so you won’t miss a blog post.

Be well, Friends.

Please check out my most recent blog post by visiting my website, The Third Eye site (link in bio) and/or my Substack of the same name. If you’re interested in my creative journey, what I’m reading about creativity, and some strategies for being a more disciplined creative, sign up for my newsletter so you won’t miss a blog post.

Be well, Friends.

Wifredo Lam is a consummate modernist. Under the direct tutelage of Pablo Picasso, his figures are cubists in the beginning of his career when in Paris. But it is his return to Cuba when everything shifts. His paintings become more surreal as he employs African diasporic concepts of spirituality into his work. Whereas the paintings in the beginning are colorful, his muted works toward the middle of his career are my favorites. Though still complex, the simplicity of the color palette allows his forms and shading to take center stage, creating an ethereal quality. Wifredo Lam: When I Don’t Sleep, I Dream” is on view at MoMA until April 11.

1. The Threshold, 1950
2. La Reunion/The Meeting, 1942
3. La Jungla/ the Jungle, 1942-43
4. Les Noces Chimiques / The Chemical Nuptials, 1944
5. L’Annunciation / Annunciation, 1944
6. Harpe Astral/ Astral Harp, 1944
7. La Marcheuse des Iles/ The Island Walker, 1944
8. La Reunion/The Meeting, 1945
9. Untitled, 1958
10. Untitled, 1958
11. Untitled, 1958

Wifredo Lam is a consummate modernist. Under the direct tutelage of Pablo Picasso, his figures are cubists in the beginning of his career when in Paris. But it is his return to Cuba when everything shifts. His paintings become more surreal as he employs African diasporic concepts of spirituality into his work. Whereas the paintings in the beginning are colorful, his muted works toward the middle of his career are my favorites. Though still complex, the simplicity of the color palette allows his forms and shading to take center stage, creating an ethereal quality. Wifredo Lam: When I Don’t Sleep, I Dream” is on view at MoMA until April 11.

1. The Threshold, 1950
2. La Reunion/The Meeting, 1942
3. La Jungla/ the Jungle, 1942-43
4. Les Noces Chimiques / The Chemical Nuptials, 1944
5. L’Annunciation / Annunciation, 1944
6. Harpe Astral/ Astral Harp, 1944
7. La Marcheuse des Iles/ The Island Walker, 1944
8. La Reunion/The Meeting, 1945
9. Untitled, 1958
10. Untitled, 1958
11. Untitled, 1958

I’m so thankful for another opportunity to write about the year in Black Art for ARTnews. It is truly an honor to identify the exhibitions that exemplify what Black Art can do. These exhibitions promote ideas prominent in the collective consciousness that might not be easily articulated elsewhere. These artists create art that hold mirrors up to us to show us reflections of ourselves through their art.

I’m so thankful for another opportunity to write about the year in Black Art for ARTnews. It is truly an honor to identify the exhibitions that exemplify what Black Art can do. These exhibitions promote ideas prominent in the collective consciousness that might not be easily articulated elsewhere. These artists create art that hold mirrors up to us to show us reflections of ourselves through their art.

My latest for ARTnews. It is an honor to have written about such a formidable artist. #richardhunt

My latest for ARTnews. It is an honor to have written about such a formidable artist. #richardhunt

My latest from ARTnews:

Even the estate of an artist as acclaimed as Romare Bearden has trouble tracking down the thousands of works he made over the course of his five-decade career. Known as one of America’s foremost collagists, Bearden created a distinctive style that can often be easily recognizable, but tracking down every single work he made, including ones not in that mode, can be a difficult task, especially when it comes to compiling a catalogue raisonné for the artist.

My latest from ARTnews:

Even the estate of an artist as acclaimed as Romare Bearden has trouble tracking down the thousands of works he made over the course of his five-decade career. Known as one of America’s foremost collagists, Bearden created a distinctive style that can often be easily recognizable, but tracking down every single work he made, including ones not in that mode, can be a difficult task, especially when it comes to compiling a catalogue raisonné for the artist.

Being at Umbrella Art Fair in DC for the first time made me aware of the many talented artists in the area. Here are some that caught my eye:

1. G Pack
2. Lauren Bessett
3. Charles Jean-Pierre
4. Blu Murphy
5. Khadijah Jahmilah
6. Mark Kilner
7. Emon Surakitkoson
8. C.S. Corbin
9. Miss Chelove
10. Levi Robinson
11. Alex Ebstein
12. Omari Jesse

Being at Umbrella Art Fair in DC for the first time made me aware of the many talented artists in the area. Here are some that caught my eye:

1. G Pack
2. Lauren Bessett
3. Charles Jean-Pierre
4. Blu Murphy
5. Khadijah Jahmilah
6. Mark Kilner
7. Emon Surakitkoson
8. C.S. Corbin
9. Miss Chelove
10. Levi Robinson
11. Alex Ebstein
12. Omari Jesse

2025 marks the hundredth year since the publication of Alain Locke’s seminal anthology, The New Negro. Last year, I wrote an article for Black Art in America assessing Locke’s thoughts on Black culture’s relevance today. And earlier this year, I wrote an article for ARTnews about the Harlem Renaissance. But I didn’t really do anything else to celebrate this milestone anniversary, and I’m sad about it. I wish I would have been more forward thinking and developed some programming or talked to others to help me do that. I couldn’t let the year go by without acknowledging this moment and what it means for me as an art writer. So much of what I think about in my art writing revolves around the work of critical thinkers like Locke and DuBois. The New Negro Movement really changed Black culture. And if it weren’t for the ground breaking work of scholars like Locke, what we know as Black Art today might be entirely different. #harlemrenaissance100

2025 marks the hundredth year since the publication of Alain Locke’s seminal anthology, The New Negro. Last year, I wrote an article for Black Art in America assessing Locke’s thoughts on Black culture’s relevance today. And earlier this year, I wrote an article for ARTnews about the Harlem Renaissance. But I didn’t really do anything else to celebrate this milestone anniversary, and I’m sad about it. I wish I would have been more forward thinking and developed some programming or talked to others to help me do that. I couldn’t let the year go by without acknowledging this moment and what it means for me as an art writer. So much of what I think about in my art writing revolves around the work of critical thinkers like Locke and DuBois. The New Negro Movement really changed Black culture. And if it weren’t for the ground breaking work of scholars like Locke, what we know as Black Art today might be entirely different. #harlemrenaissance100

I’m heartbroken. The release of D’Angelo’s Brown Sugar marked a magical time in my life. It was more than a soundtrack. He matured me. And Lady, every time I hear this song, I feel as if he’s singing only to me. Rest in paradise, D’Angelo.

I’m heartbroken. The release of D’Angelo’s Brown Sugar marked a magical time in my life. It was more than a soundtrack. He matured me. And Lady, every time I hear this song, I feel as if he’s singing only to me. Rest in paradise, D’Angelo.

I caught the last day of Black Earth Rising at Baltimore Museum of Art yesterday. The artworks included were amazing in composition and concept as they made the viewer think about the ways we interact with the natural world. Artists included Firelei Baez, Teresita Fernandez, and Yinka Shonibare.

I caught the last day of Black Earth Rising at Baltimore Museum of Art yesterday. The artworks included were amazing in composition and concept as they made the viewer think about the ways we interact with the natural world. Artists included Firelei Baez, Teresita Fernandez, and Yinka Shonibare.

Here’s an essay I wrote for The Hopkins Review. If you’re interested in reading the entire essay, the link is in my bio. #blackartcollectors #blackart #blackartinamerica #blackartmatterss

Here’s an essay I wrote for The Hopkins Review. If you’re interested in reading the entire essay, the link is in my bio. #blackartcollectors #blackart #blackartinamerica #blackartmatterss

I was so fortunate to have some time on my trip to NYC this weekend to see Jack Whitten: The Messenger at MoMA. Such a beautifully executed exhibition. It was interesting to see how each series influenced the following and how the culmination of all of it showed up in his later works. Whitten is such a technically adventurous artist. #moma #jackwhitten

I was so fortunate to have some time on my trip to NYC this weekend to see Jack Whitten: The Messenger at MoMA. Such a beautifully executed exhibition. It was interesting to see how each series influenced the following and how the culmination of all of it showed up in his later works. Whitten is such a technically adventurous artist. #moma #jackwhitten

Rashid Johnson definitely created a home-like environment at the Guggenheim. He owned the massive space with a variety of artwork from painting to sculpture to video.

Rashid Johnson definitely created a home-like environment at the Guggenheim. He owned the massive space with a variety of artwork from painting to sculpture to video.

Superfine is a gorgeous display of the dandiest of Black men’s fashion throughout history. It was really great seeing Black men’s style represented with such respect.

Superfine is a gorgeous display of the dandiest of Black men’s fashion throughout history. It was really great seeing Black men’s style represented with such respect.

Moved to tears in the exhibition American Sublime at The Whitney witnessing the mastery of Amy Sherald’s work. She’s grown so much as an artist. Her brushstrokes are so fine they are invisible. She’s certainly existing in a category with the master Kerry James Marshall when it comes to her brushwork. Beautiful show! A review mentioned that her depiction of Black Americana is flat. That is far from the truth. There is such a well-rounded depth and representation of Black people and Black life featured in the exhibition. @asherald #americansublime #amysherald

Moved to tears in the exhibition American Sublime at The Whitney witnessing the mastery of Amy Sherald’s work. She’s grown so much as an artist. Her brushstrokes are so fine they are invisible. She’s certainly existing in a category with the master Kerry James Marshall when it comes to her brushwork. Beautiful show! A review mentioned that her depiction of Black Americana is flat. That is far from the truth. There is such a well-rounded depth and representation of Black people and Black life featured in the exhibition. @asherald #americansublime #amysherald

School is out, but learning doesn’t have to stop. A trip to the museum is a wonderful way to spend a weekend afternoon on a date or with the kids. Adding a guided tour to your museum visit, makes it even more worthwhile.

This summer, every other weekend, on Saturdays and Sundays starting June 7, I will conduct Black Art History Tours at the Smithsonian American Art Museum from 1pm – 3pm.

Take a break from social media and video games, visit the museum to enlighten your mind by sparking curiosity.

Visit www.thethirdeyesite.com to sign up for a date under the “Museum Tours” tab.

*This tour is not affiliated with the Smithsonian American Art Museum

School is out, but learning doesn’t have to stop. A trip to the museum is a wonderful way to spend a weekend afternoon on a date or with the kids. Adding a guided tour to your museum visit, makes it even more worthwhile.

This summer, every other weekend, on Saturdays and Sundays starting June 7, I will conduct Black Art History Tours at the Smithsonian American Art Museum from 1pm – 3pm.

Take a break from social media and video games, visit the museum to enlighten your mind by sparking curiosity.

Visit www.thethirdeyesite.com to sign up for a date under the “Museum Tours” tab.

*This tour is not affiliated with the Smithsonian American Art Museum

The 35th Annual James A. Porter Colloquium was a wonderful time. The panels were enlightening. And I met some artists and art scholars who I admire. The tour and programming of Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary Artist on view at the National Gallery of Art was so insightful. I’ll be visiting the Catlett exhibition several times before it leaves on July 6.

The 35th Annual James A. Porter Colloquium was a wonderful time. The panels were enlightening. And I met some artists and art scholars who I admire. The tour and programming of Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary Artist on view at the National Gallery of Art was so insightful. I’ll be visiting the Catlett exhibition several times before it leaves on July 6.

Layered Lightning: The Collaged Portraiture of Michale B. Platt at Eaton Hotel is a beautiful remembrance of the late artist who was a pillar of the Washington D.c. arts community. Curated by @giametricart

Layered Lightning: The Collaged Portraiture of Michale B. Platt at Eaton Hotel is a beautiful remembrance of the late artist who was a pillar of the Washington D.c. arts community. Curated by @giametricart

As Black History Month comes to a close, may we not forget to celebrate Black history every day. Check out these two articles I wrote for Black history month at ARTnews this year.

As Black History Month comes to a close, may we not forget to celebrate Black history every day. Check out these two articles I wrote for Black history month at ARTnews this year.

Makonnen’s exhibition showcasing these towers, now on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art, is called “Sanctuary.” The Ethiopian crosses symbolize eternal life and connection, and given that a sanctuary is a place for refuge and safety and holiness, Makonnen’s artwork provides some semblance of that for the spirits of the fallen and slain after their lives have ended.

Makonnen’s exhibition showcasing these towers, now on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art, is called “Sanctuary.” The Ethiopian crosses symbolize eternal life and connection, and given that a sanctuary is a place for refuge and safety and holiness, Makonnen’s artwork provides some semblance of that for the spirits of the fallen and slain after their lives have ended.

With the proliferation of portraits and other sorts of figurative painting, it’s clear that Black artists have developed a yet untitled art movement, that I’d like to call Portrayalism, a movement of representation, that includes the Black image in the western art canon en masse. Though Black people have always made art, in western society their art has been “Othered” as primitive and fetishized by Europeans. With a plethora of institutions where the portraits of white nobility can be viewed in gallery upon gallery in museums across the western world, the invisibility of the Other is starkly apparent. In these galleries of historical record, it is as if white people are the only ones who are important enough to be recorded and displayed. Yes, there were artists who placed images of Black bodies on canvas, but more often than not they are there as support for the central figure who is often white.

Read more at: www.blackartinamerica.com

#blackartinamerica #blackart #blackartists #potraits

With the proliferation of portraits and other sorts of figurative painting, it’s clear that Black artists have developed a yet untitled art movement, that I’d like to call Portrayalism, a movement of representation, that includes the Black image in the western art canon en masse. Though Black people have always made art, in western society their art has been “Othered” as primitive and fetishized by Europeans. With a plethora of institutions where the portraits of white nobility can be viewed in gallery upon gallery in museums across the western world, the invisibility of the Other is starkly apparent. In these galleries of historical record, it is as if white people are the only ones who are important enough to be recorded and displayed. Yes, there were artists who placed images of Black bodies on canvas, but more often than not they are there as support for the central figure who is often white.

Read more at: www.blackartinamerica.com

#blackartinamerica #blackart #blackartists #potraits

With these photographs, Box wants to address the commodification of food items exported to diasporic Caribbean communities around the world. (She named the series after a company that does this exporting.) Whereas Dutch still lifes depicted wealth and decadence, Box’s versions show how her experience as a diasporic Jamaican, who immigrated to New Jersey as a child, has itself been commodified and fabricated.

With these photographs, Box wants to address the commodification of food items exported to diasporic Caribbean communities around the world. (She named the series after a company that does this exporting.) Whereas Dutch still lifes depicted wealth and decadence, Box’s versions show how her experience as a diasporic Jamaican, who immigrated to New Jersey as a child, has itself been commodified and fabricated.

#blackart #blackartist #blackartists# blackartmatters #blackartististry #contemporaryart #contemporaryartist #contemporaryartists

#blackart #blackartist #blackartists# blackartmatters #blackartististry #contemporaryart #contemporaryartist #contemporaryartists

Introducing…Dr. Shantay Robinson!!!! Today I defended my dissertation. It was hard but very worth it. I look forward to continuing my reasearch in visual rhetoric. Thank you so much to my family whose love, support, and prayers are invaluable. To my friends who listened to my gripes during this process. And a thousand thanks to my committee Doug Eyman, Courtney Adams Wooten, and Wendi Manuel-Scott for seeing my vision and pushing me toward it. But most importantly, thank God. I couldn’t imagine this moment 24 years ago. But God saw something worth saving in me. And I’ll do my best to make all of us proud.

Introducing…Dr. Shantay Robinson!!!! Today I defended my dissertation. It was hard but very worth it. I look forward to continuing my reasearch in visual rhetoric. Thank you so much to my family whose love, support, and prayers are invaluable. To my friends who listened to my gripes during this process. And a thousand thanks to my committee Doug Eyman, Courtney Adams Wooten, and Wendi Manuel-Scott for seeing my vision and pushing me toward it. But most importantly, thank God. I couldn’t imagine this moment 24 years ago. But God saw something worth saving in me. And I’ll do my best to make all of us proud.

Hank Willis Thomas is a conceptual artist working with various media, including photography, neon, and bronze sculpture, focusing on themes related to identity, commodification, media, and popular culture. Thomas’ early work Branded, in 2006, dealt with the commodity culture of Black bodies. His public monument in Boston, Embrace, depicting the arms of Martin Luther King, Jr. hugging Coretta Scott King, was unveiled to great criticism. The monument made Thomas’ name recognizable to those outside art circles. His other permanent sculptures at O’Hare International Airport, Miami Underline, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, and several other sites all embody sentiments of love and equality. Thomas’ most recognizable public sculpture might be his large afro pick, All Power to All People, at Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.

Hank Willis Thomas is a conceptual artist working with various media, including photography, neon, and bronze sculpture, focusing on themes related to identity, commodification, media, and popular culture. Thomas’ early work Branded, in 2006, dealt with the commodity culture of Black bodies. His public monument in Boston, Embrace, depicting the arms of Martin Luther King, Jr. hugging Coretta Scott King, was unveiled to great criticism. The monument made Thomas’ name recognizable to those outside art circles. His other permanent sculptures at O’Hare International Airport, Miami Underline, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, and several other sites all embody sentiments of love and equality. Thomas’ most recognizable public sculpture might be his large afro pick, All Power to All People, at Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.

“Voting Line” by Charly Palmer

Today’s the day. Be sure to vote today if you haven’t already. Your vote is your voice. Tell them what you want. #kamalaharris2024

“Voting Line” by Charly Palmer

Today’s the day. Be sure to vote today if you haven’t already. Your vote is your voice. Tell them what you want. #kamalaharris2024

#art #contemporaryart #arthistory #artist #artists #contemporaryartists #inspiration #inspirationalquotes #visualart #contemporaryvisualart

#art #contemporaryart #arthistory #artist #artists #contemporaryartists #inspiration #inspirationalquotes #visualart #contemporaryvisualart

In 2022, Ebony G. Patterson exhibited ". . . and the dew cracks the earth, in five acts of lamentation . . . between the cuts . . . beneath the leaves . . . below the soil . . . " at ICA Watershed’s Revival: Materials and Monumental Form, large-scale installations by six artists, including El Anatsui, Madeline Hollander, Ibrahim Mahama, Karyn Oliver, and Joe Wardwell. The aim of the exhibition was to recycle industrial and quotidian materials to create artworks inspired by the Watershed building’s history as a mixed-use space. Patterson’s contribution to the exhibition were elaborate collages featuring flowers, birds, butterflies and figures.

Patterson is a renowned Jamaican-born multimedia artist whose pageantry has afforded her several solo exhibitions in spaces like Perez Art Museum Miami and New York Botanical Garden. Her work is in the collections of The Whitney Museum of American Art, Studio Museum in Harlem, and SFMOMA, as well as many other museums.

#ebonygpatterson #blackart #blackartist #blackexcellence #blackartists #blackartmatters #blackartistry

In 2022, Ebony G. Patterson exhibited ". . . and the dew cracks the earth, in five acts of lamentation . . . between the cuts . . . beneath the leaves . . . below the soil . . . " at ICA Watershed’s Revival: Materials and Monumental Form, large-scale installations by six artists, including El Anatsui, Madeline Hollander, Ibrahim Mahama, Karyn Oliver, and Joe Wardwell. The aim of the exhibition was to recycle industrial and quotidian materials to create artworks inspired by the Watershed building’s history as a mixed-use space. Patterson’s contribution to the exhibition were elaborate collages featuring flowers, birds, butterflies and figures.

Patterson is a renowned Jamaican-born multimedia artist whose pageantry has afforded her several solo exhibitions in spaces like Perez Art Museum Miami and New York Botanical Garden. Her work is in the collections of The Whitney Museum of American Art, Studio Museum in Harlem, and SFMOMA, as well as many other museums.

#ebonygpatterson #blackart #blackartist #blackexcellence #blackartists #blackartmatters #blackartistry

@aaconteh #blackart #blackartist #blackartists #blackarts #blackartinamerica #blackartinamerica_

@aaconteh #blackart #blackartist #blackartists #blackarts #blackartinamerica #blackartinamerica_

Black Art in America’s Atlanta Fine Art Print Fair is in DC at Eaton Hotel. There are a wealth of beautiful prints for purchase. They will only be there till Sunday. Be sure to pick up a Black Art in America newspaper, featuring an article by yours truly.

#blackartinamerica #blackart #blackartists

Black Art in America’s Atlanta Fine Art Print Fair is in DC at Eaton Hotel. There are a wealth of beautiful prints for purchase. They will only be there till Sunday. Be sure to pick up a Black Art in America newspaper, featuring an article by yours truly.

#blackartinamerica #blackart #blackartists

Glenn Ligon (b. 1960)

Best known for his textual paintings and neon signs, Glenn Ligon has been a formidable artist since the early 1990s. His text-based paintings borrow verbiage from well-known personalities, including James Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston, and Richard Pryor. In 2005, he began making neon artworks using phrases from texts by authors, including Gertrude Stein. Ligon who lives and works in New York City, grew up in the Bronx where the influence of graffiti on Jean-Michel Basquiat’s work gave him permission to create text-based art.

#glennligon #blackart #blackartist #blackexcellence #blackartists #blackartmatters #blackartistry

Glenn Ligon (b. 1960)

Best known for his textual paintings and neon signs, Glenn Ligon has been a formidable artist since the early 1990s. His text-based paintings borrow verbiage from well-known personalities, including James Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston, and Richard Pryor. In 2005, he began making neon artworks using phrases from texts by authors, including Gertrude Stein. Ligon who lives and works in New York City, grew up in the Bronx where the influence of graffiti on Jean-Michel Basquiat’s work gave him permission to create text-based art.

#glennligon #blackart #blackartist #blackexcellence #blackartists #blackartmatters #blackartistry

Rest in peace, Richard Mayhew. Through your beautiful mindscapes we’ll forever see you.

#richardmayhew

Rest in peace, Richard Mayhew. Through your beautiful mindscapes we’ll forever see you.

#richardmayhew

Earlier this year, Vienna based artist, Amoako Boafo’s exhibition, The one that got away, was held in Mexico City at the Mariane Ibrahim Gallery. The namesake of the gallery, a Somali-French art dealer, discovered Boafo on social media and was drawn in by his innovation in depicting Black skin. While audiences may be aware of his portrait painting, as this is his third solo show with the Chicago-based gallery, this exhibition offers Boafo’s fresh treatment of mosaic and stained-glass. What remains true to the artists’ oeuvre is the finger painting of Black skin with shades of brown and blue sinuous lines that depict flesh.
#amoakoboafo #blackart #blackartist #blackartists #blackartmatters #blackartististry

Earlier this year, Vienna based artist, Amoako Boafo’s exhibition, The one that got away, was held in Mexico City at the Mariane Ibrahim Gallery. The namesake of the gallery, a Somali-French art dealer, discovered Boafo on social media and was drawn in by his innovation in depicting Black skin. While audiences may be aware of his portrait painting, as this is his third solo show with the Chicago-based gallery, this exhibition offers Boafo’s fresh treatment of mosaic and stained-glass. What remains true to the artists’ oeuvre is the finger painting of Black skin with shades of brown and blue sinuous lines that depict flesh.
#amoakoboafo #blackart #blackartist #blackartists #blackartmatters #blackartististry

#art #contemporaryart #arthistory #artist #artists #contemporaryartists #inspiration #inspirationalquotes #visualart #contemporaryvisualart

#art #contemporaryart #arthistory #artist #artists #contemporaryartists #inspiration #inspirationalquotes #visualart #contemporaryvisualart

Wangechi Mutu (b. 1972)

Wangechi Mutu, a Kenyan American artist, uses painting, sculpture, film, and performance work to investigate themes of gender, race, and colonialism. Her work largely centers around Black women reclaiming their disparaged identity. Mutu is regarded as an Afrofuturist for the themes present in her work and their imaginative envisioning of alternate realities. Mutu earned a Bachelor of Fine Art from Cooper Union and a Master of Fine Art from Yale School of Art.

#wangechimutu #blackart #blackartist #blackartists #blackartmatters #blackartististry

Wangechi Mutu (b. 1972)

Wangechi Mutu, a Kenyan American artist, uses painting, sculpture, film, and performance work to investigate themes of gender, race, and colonialism. Her work largely centers around Black women reclaiming their disparaged identity. Mutu is regarded as an Afrofuturist for the themes present in her work and their imaginative envisioning of alternate realities. Mutu earned a Bachelor of Fine Art from Cooper Union and a Master of Fine Art from Yale School of Art.

#wangechimutu #blackart #blackartist #blackartists #blackartmatters #blackartististry

Originally from Denver Colorado, Jordan Casteel attended Agnes Scott College, Yale University School of Art, and earned a residency at the Studio Museum during the 2015-2016 season. She had her first solo museum exhibition, Returning the Gaze, in 2019 at Denver Art Museum and her first New York solo exhibition, Jordan Casteel: Within Reach, in 2020 at the New Museum. In 2021, she was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship.

#jordancasteel #blackart #blackartist #blackexcellence #blackartists #blackartmatters #blackartistry

Originally from Denver Colorado, Jordan Casteel attended Agnes Scott College, Yale University School of Art, and earned a residency at the Studio Museum during the 2015-2016 season. She had her first solo museum exhibition, Returning the Gaze, in 2019 at Denver Art Museum and her first New York solo exhibition, Jordan Casteel: Within Reach, in 2020 at the New Museum. In 2021, she was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship.

#jordancasteel #blackart #blackartist #blackexcellence #blackartists #blackartmatters #blackartistry

Read more at www.thethirdeyesite.com

Read more at www.thethirdeyesite.com

Multiplicity: Blackness in Contemporary American Collage at The Phillips Collection was such a great exhibition I bought the catalog. I had to take it home with me. The catalog offers examples of additional collages by artists, including Deborah Roberts, Wangechi Mutu, and Kara Walker and also includes essays by Richard J. Powell, Rebecca VanDiver, Valerie Cassel Oliver and others. It is truly a dynamic exhibition. If you have a chance, go see it. Otherwise, you can purchase this lovely catalog. It closes on September 22.

Multiplicity: Blackness in Contemporary American Collage at The Phillips Collection was such a great exhibition I bought the catalog. I had to take it home with me. The catalog offers examples of additional collages by artists, including Deborah Roberts, Wangechi Mutu, and Kara Walker and also includes essays by Richard J. Powell, Rebecca VanDiver, Valerie Cassel Oliver and others. It is truly a dynamic exhibition. If you have a chance, go see it. Otherwise, you can purchase this lovely catalog. It closes on September 22.

Because I want to decorate my home with art on a limited budget, I’ve decided to collect fine art prints. They come in limited editions, so I’m betting they will become increasingly valuable as the careers of the emerging artists in my collection advance. The prints in my collection are of a limited quantity. So, there is a finite number of them circulating in the world, which makes them more valuable. While fine art can be expensive, a wise alternative is collecting fine art prints that are somewhat scarce yet not as costly as paintings or sculptures. Acquiring fine art prints is a way to collect valuable art that could be worth a return on an investment in the future. Not all reproductions are equal, though. Many companies loudly touting art prints are selling reproductions that have little resale value. Below are some tips for selecting quality prints of value to add to your art collection.

Read the full article at: www.blackartinamerica.com

Because I want to decorate my home with art on a limited budget, I’ve decided to collect fine art prints. They come in limited editions, so I’m betting they will become increasingly valuable as the careers of the emerging artists in my collection advance. The prints in my collection are of a limited quantity. So, there is a finite number of them circulating in the world, which makes them more valuable. While fine art can be expensive, a wise alternative is collecting fine art prints that are somewhat scarce yet not as costly as paintings or sculptures. Acquiring fine art prints is a way to collect valuable art that could be worth a return on an investment in the future. Not all reproductions are equal, though. Many companies loudly touting art prints are selling reproductions that have little resale value. Below are some tips for selecting quality prints of value to add to your art collection.

Read the full article at: www.blackartinamerica.com

“Multiplicity: Blackness in Contemporary American Collage” at the Phillips Collection is filled with artistic mastery by artists, including Kerry James Marshall, Wangechi Mutu, Mickalene Thomas, Deborah Roberts, Lorna Simpson, and so many more. These artists have elevated collage in ways that advance the medium. The conceptual work that is put into these artworks are a great addition to the technical ability of the artists. The way these artists use collage in such brilliant ways is awesome. If you’re in the area, this is a must see. It might even be one you want to travel for. This exhibition closes on September 22.

#contemporaryart #blackarts #blackartists #collageartists #collage #collageart

“Multiplicity: Blackness in Contemporary American Collage” at the Phillips Collection is filled with artistic mastery by artists, including Kerry James Marshall, Wangechi Mutu, Mickalene Thomas, Deborah Roberts, Lorna Simpson, and so many more. These artists have elevated collage in ways that advance the medium. The conceptual work that is put into these artworks are a great addition to the technical ability of the artists. The way these artists use collage in such brilliant ways is awesome. If you’re in the area, this is a must see. It might even be one you want to travel for. This exhibition closes on September 22.

#contemporaryart #blackarts #blackartists #collageartists #collage #collageart

I took a trip to the Baltimore Museum of Art today to see Joyce J. Scott’s 50year retrospective. Although I wasn’t familiar with her until today, I must say her work has me thinking a lot about artists of her generation and the stories they needed to tell. If you’re in the area, I recommend witnessing these intricately beaded, crotched, quilted, and weaved constructions in person. Show closes July 14.

I took a trip to the Baltimore Museum of Art today to see Joyce J. Scott’s 50year retrospective. Although I wasn’t familiar with her until today, I must say her work has me thinking a lot about artists of her generation and the stories they needed to tell. If you’re in the area, I recommend witnessing these intricately beaded, crotched, quilted, and weaved constructions in person. Show closes July 14.

Next year will mark the 100 year anniversary of Alain Locke’s seminal essay “The New Negro,” so I thought about whether his thoughts still resonate with the contemporary movement in art. Read my latest article for Black Art in America.

#blackartinamerica #blackart #blackartists

Next year will mark the 100 year anniversary of Alain Locke’s seminal essay “The New Negro,” so I thought about whether his thoughts still resonate with the contemporary movement in art. Read my latest article for Black Art in America.

#blackartinamerica #blackart #blackartists

I finally saw The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibition, The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism. I was so happy to see and discover art and artists I was not aware of. I especially appreciate Aaron Douglas’ watercolor painting, Still Life. I saw his watercolor work at the Driskell Center and I loved that work too. I’d love to see more of that. I also discovered Samuel Joseph Brown, Jr. who also paints with watercolor. It is so exciting to see this history being appreciated by so many.

I finally saw The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibition, The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism. I was so happy to see and discover art and artists I was not aware of. I especially appreciate Aaron Douglas’ watercolor painting, Still Life. I saw his watercolor work at the Driskell Center and I loved that work too. I’d love to see more of that. I also discovered Samuel Joseph Brown, Jr. who also paints with watercolor. It is so exciting to see this history being appreciated by so many.

Oh, Hugo McCloud’s work at Sean Kelly Gallery is so pretty. Beautiful detailed still life’s and abstract pieces made from plastic bags. So carefully done. And the color palette is so fresh and clean.

Oh, Hugo McCloud’s work at Sean Kelly Gallery is so pretty. Beautiful detailed still life’s and abstract pieces made from plastic bags. So carefully done. And the color palette is so fresh and clean.

Here's my latest article for ARTnews. This article was really a labor of love. Though Black folks in America are still having firsts, we must learn from our history. Looking back at how African Americans were able to survive, but much more make art and culture and beauty is pure pleasure for me. I hope you enjoy this read as much as I enjoyed writing it. The link is in my bio.

Here's my latest article for ARTnews. This article was really a labor of love. Though Black folks in America are still having firsts, we must learn from our history. Looking back at how African Americans were able to survive, but much more make art and culture and beauty is pure pleasure for me. I hope you enjoy this read as much as I enjoyed writing it. The link is in my bio.

Here’s my latest for Washington City Paper. if you're in the DC area, stopping by the David C. Driskell Center to see this exhibit is a good move. It does not disappoint. It's up until May 24.

Here’s my latest for Washington City Paper. if you're in the DC area, stopping by the David C. Driskell Center to see this exhibit is a good move. It does not disappoint. It's up until May 24.

Faith Ringgold was more than an artist, she was an activist who fought for the rights of the oppressed, whether they were Black people or women. Faith Ringgold will be remembered on the right side of history. Rest in Power.

#faithringgold #blackarts #blackartists

Faith Ringgold was more than an artist, she was an activist who fought for the rights of the oppressed, whether they were Black people or women. Faith Ringgold will be remembered on the right side of history. Rest in Power.

#faithringgold #blackarts #blackartists

Last week, I came across this beautiful artistic documentary film about Frida Kahlo titled, Frida. It takes the entries from her journals and her artwork to illustrate the story of her life, so it’s sort of autobiography. I’d seen the fictional account of her life with Salma Hayek years ago, but hearing Frida’s story in her own words is just captivating. If you haven’t seen it, check out this magnificent film on Amazon Prime. I’m definitely watching it again.

Last week, I came across this beautiful artistic documentary film about Frida Kahlo titled, Frida. It takes the entries from her journals and her artwork to illustrate the story of her life, so it’s sort of autobiography. I’d seen the fictional account of her life with Salma Hayek years ago, but hearing Frida’s story in her own words is just captivating. If you haven’t seen it, check out this magnificent film on Amazon Prime. I’m definitely watching it again.

Here’s my latest with Smithsonian Magazine.

#blackart #africanamericanart #blackartists #williamhjohnson

Here’s my latest with Smithsonian Magazine.

#blackart #africanamericanart #blackartists #williamhjohnson

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