The Schomburg Center opened a new exhibit celebrating contemporary artwork by Black women this weekend.
Known as the “Forging Ahead: Recent Acquisitions of Black Women Artists,” the exhibit will be open until March 27, 2027. Admission is free because the Schomburg Center’s galleries are part of the New York Public Library.
The exhibit will feature approximately 21 artists. Curated by associate curator La Tanya S. Autry of photographs and prints and curator Tammi Lawson of art and artifacts, the exhibit includes works by Nona Faustine, Simone Leigh, Rosemary Karurga and Kimberly Becoat. The mediums of the artwork include a mixture of photographs, sculptures and artwork.
The exhibit’s title is based on a quote from bell hooks which highlights the fact that women artists need to “create spaces” where their works can be displayed.
“Forging Ahead: Recent Acquisitions of Black Women Artists is exciting because it highlights the Schomburg Center’s efforts to address gender disparities in its collections while simultaneously celebrating the work of Black women artists,” said Autry in an official press release. “As they insist on Black life, these artists also contend with historical erasure. Having their artworks in our collection strengthens the institution’s ability to support research of past, present, and future Black life.”
The exhibit aims to draw attention to disparities in exhibitions when it comes to displaying the art of Black women.
In a study published by Artnet News and Studio Burns, women artists made up only 11% of all museum acquisitions across the U.S. from 2008 to 2020. Black American artists accounted for just 2.2% of the acquisitions.
Meanwhile, Black women artists were among the least represented, as their art comprised only 0.5% of all works on display in museums. Out of 339,969 objects, only 1,877 were made by Black women artists. In renowned museums such as the Museum of Modern Art, less than 8% are by women overall.
With the newest exhibit, the Schomburg Center is seeking to address the lack of representation for Black women in art exhibits.
“Despite the disparity across museum collections, gallery representation and auction showings, Black women press on, progress, and create. We see you and honor your work here!”” said Lawson in an interview with Essence. “It has been my intention to fortify our collections with artwork by Black women artists.”
