Black American Portraits at Spelman

From the Black American Portrait Exhibit at the Spelman Museum of Fine Art: Lady on Blue Couch by Otis Kwame Eye Quiche, Barkley Hendricks portrait, Thy Name we Praise by Calida Rawles

Exploring Art on College Campuses

I had the opportunity to check out the Black American Portrait Exhibit at the Spelman Museum of Fine Art before it ended on June 30, 2023. I don’t know how I forget about museums on campuses when I’m making my rounds. I went to undergrad at Hampton University, and we had an amazing museum! It was one of the first places I explored that wasn’t related to my classes because my freshman dorm was right beside it. The Black American Portraits exhibit is closed now, but you can still watch the opening symposium with artists Bisa Butler, Calida Rawles, and Amy Sherald.

Barack Obama portrait

Kehinde Wiley piece

I’m a fan of Kehinde Wiley’s work and it was great to see another piece.

A Mickalene Thomas

I finally get to see her work in person!

Madam CJ Walker collage by Chelle Barbour

Amy Sherald Portrait

Bird by Rico Gatson

Carrie Mae Weems

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Looking for more art?

• My visit to some of my favorite Chicago Museums

• A recap at The High in Atlanta when the Presidential Portraits were there.

• Checking out the Minneapolis Institute of Art

• Artists I’m really into right now

  • Tatyana Fazalalizadeh

  • Ashley Johnson

• My first experience with Barkley Hendricks was The Birth of Cool exhibit at the Nasher Museum in Duke. Learn more about him.