Black Women and Art: 30 Americans and the Black List

Sacrifice #2: It Has to Last (after Yoshitoshi’s “Drowsy: the appearance of a harlot of the Meiji era”) 2007 by iona rozeal brwon

Black women have been showcased in many ways during Black History Month, particularly through art. I recently visited several such exhibits in the Washington, D.C., area with my 10-year-old daughter, who is an aspiring artist. Each collection was unique — they highlighted black women as both artists and subjects and spanned many forms of painting, mixed media, photography, language, and popular culture as they relate to the experiences of black women.

The first exhibit, “30 Americans,” was on display through February 12 at the Corcoran Gallery of Art and featured 76 paintings, sculptures, drawings, photographs, and videos. The museum describes the exhibit as “a wide-ranging survey of work by many of the most important African American artists of the last three decades.” It “focuses on issues of racial, sexual, and historical identity in contemporary culture. It explores how each artist reckons with the notion of black identity in America, navigating such concerns as the struggle for civil rights, popular culture, and media imagery. At the same time, it highlights artistic legacy and influence, tracing subject matter and formal strategies across generations.”

Among the pieces on display were Kara Walker’s provocative cut-paper silhouettes, the paintings of Shinique Smith, and works by iona rozeal brown, Wangechi Mutu, Carrie Mae Weems, and Xaviera Simmons.

The second exhibit that I visited also prominently featured African American women. “The Black List: Photographs by Timothy Greenfield Sanders,” is on display at the National Portrait Gallery through April 22. This description on the exhibit’s website explains what inspired this collection:

What is a “black list”? The dictionary defines it as “a list of persons who are disapproved of or are to be punished or boycotted.” But imagine if the black list were a roll call of distinction rather than of disenfranchisement? What if being on the black list was a point of pride rather than dread? What if the black list could shed its negative connotation to become a term of affirmation and empowerment like black pride, black power, or black is beautiful?

These are some of the questions that prompted photographer Timothy Greenfield-Sanders (born 1952) to embark on a portrait project to create an entirely new kind of black list — a visual “who’s who” of African American men and women whose intelligence, talent, and determination have propelled them to prominence in disciplines as diverse as religion, performing arts, medicine, sports, art, literature, and politics.

Included in the 50-portrait exhibit were former Planned Parenthood executive Faye Wattleton, playwright Suzan-Lori Parks, U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice, and civil rights leader Barbara Harris.

Both exhibits highlighted the remarkable depth and breadth of African American artists and the important role that women play as both artists and subjects. My aspiring artist sat with her sketchbook, diligently copying the various forms of art and learning about black women and men through a rich array of artists and art forms. Happy Black History Month!

This week, AAUW Dialog is celebrating women in the arts. In addition to the stories published here, members can vote for their six favorite works of art in our online gallery each week through March 4, and everyone can participate in the AAUW Thumbs-up Award contest on Facebook through March 6. Art week culminates in a March 1 event in Washington, D.C., at the National Museum of Women in the Arts.