CONTEXT + CULTURE

Attention is being given to Black visual artists more than ever before in the midst of the current social justice movement. But as many of us already know, Black artists have been using their work to portray experiences of the African diaspora, to critique colonialism, and to celebrate Black culture long before the movement started. Beginning in the late 19th century and moving into modern day, Artland takes readers on a brief journey through "some of the most powerful and m

It would be most understandable if in between protests, the pandemic, and trying to adjust to never leaving home, that instead of tapping into the upward movement of Black women at the helm in the arts, we simply missed the news. If that is indeed the case, then it is a great excuse for us to revisit and share that three talented Black women have taken on leadership positions in the arts , Janice Bond (Contemporary Arts Museum Houston), Leslie K. Johnson (Skirball Cultural C

Ekow Nimako began his art practice at the age of four. When he was young, he knew he wanted to play with LEGO forever. His dream has manifested into a highly elevated version of his childhood hobby. Based in Toronto, Nimako is now an internationally exhibiting visual artist, sculptor, and LEGO artist who crafts futuristic and whimsical sculptures from the iconic medium. "His fluid building style, coupled with the Afrofuturistic themes of his work, beautifully transcend the g

Congratulations are in order for Crystal Williams , who will become the first Black president of the more than 140-year-old institution, Rhode Island School of Design! “Art, education, and equity and justice are the three foundational focuses of my life and everything about me—who I am as a teacher, a writer, a leader, friend, daughter, and human—are in accord with RISD’s mission, areas of focus and social equity and inclusion goals,” Williams said in a statement ( Skanner

There are people in communities around the world that work quietly to make a loud impact. They are diligent, committed, focused, passionate, and will-not-be-deterred kinds of people. This is Gilda Sheppard . For decades Gilda has been diligently making and sharing stories through the art of film. She has focused a lot on the stories of women, but last year, Gilda completed her seminal work, Since I Been Down , to film festival acclaim around the world. Since I Been Down is a

Kisha Vaughan wants everyone to know that YOU deserve to feel joy, strength, passion, and power. Kisha is a force. And she practices what she preaches by sharing her own joy, strength, passion, and power with the community through DANCE. For the past 18 years, Kisha has been dancing in and around Seattle as part of various dance crews including Breaking Point Dance Company, In Effect Hip Hop, Purple Lemonade, Seattle Storm Hip Hop Squad, and backup dancer for Macklemore and

Chances are that in 1980 when Sally Ordway Irvine first challenged her St. Paul community to build a world-class performing arts center and then put up the initial donation to do so, she didn't imagine that one day that center would be led by a Black man. Forty-one years after issuing that challenge, 36 years of operation, and 11 CEOs later, Christopher Harrington has been named the 12th CEO of the St. Paul, Minnesota institution. Harrington, who took the helm at The Ordway

Before eating, open thy mouth - Mauritania Proverb The best part of holiday family gatherings is undoubtedly the food, regardless of the nature of the celebrations. Christmas dinners, Kwanzaa, and New Year gatherings are times when food traditions usually touch back to Africa. Sweet potato pie the All African American comfort food, is said to have originated in the Southern United States by George Washington Carver - a man who apparently found over 100 uses for sweet potato

Fate and destiny have a means of beautifully colliding in ways that can make one’s head spin. As this publication is the result of years-long contemplation, the fate of having this come to fruition, is as majestic as the destiny that is resulting in a dream space to bring physical resonance to our goal of spotlighting Black art and culture! Our vision for a physical space at Midtown, in the heart of Seattle’s historic Black community, draws near fruition and is set for openin

"A place to honor Black triumphs, build Black futures, and make a statement celebrating our present and our presence." This is the inspiration for the transformative infrastructure project happening in South Central LA's infamous Crenshaw Boulevard. Featuring Black Art heavy hitters, including Charles Dickson, Artis Lane, Alison Saar, and Kehinde Wiley, along with over 100 additional works by Black artists who have strong ties to the city, Destination Crenshaw looks to beco

The Preis der Nationalgalerie, a biennial award established in 2000, honors German contemporary artists under the age of 40 whose work reflects the international and lively nature of the German art scene. The 2021 recipient Sandra Mujinga was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is based in Berlin and Oslo. Mujinga creates within a broad spectrum of media and art, including music, sculpture, video, photography, and installations, many of which are inspired by d

While Black women take the helm of leadership on museum boards in the United States, in Barcelona last month, Elvira Dyangani Ose began her new role as Director of the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA). Ose comes with a long list of accomplishments and experiences gained in Europe, Africa, and the US. Elvira served as Director and Chief Curator of The Showroom in London, as well as Lecturer in Visual Cultures at Goldsmiths, University of London, and a member of

Black women are now leading the boards of two major US museums. In Minneapolis, Seena Hodges became the first African American and the first person of color to lead the board of the Walker Art Museum . Hodges, who runs the DEI consulting firm Woke Coach , has served on the Walker board in various capacities prior to this appointment. She will guide the organization as it embraces its new 5-year strategic plan and noted in a statement recently, “I have always been fascinated

Noah Davis has been a well-known name in art circles around the world. What is lesser known is that Davis was from Seattle, Washington. In 2016, the Frye Art Museum presented the first large-scale museum show that explored Davis’ work, alongside the work of his brother and fellow artist Khalil Joseph. The Frye exhibit was held just one year after Davis’ untimely passing from cancer at the age of thirty-two (b.1983- d.2015). Noah's wife, Karon Davis , the daughter of the perfo

The award-winning, egalitarian architect, known for his community-driven projects and visionary sensibilities, including The National Museum of African American History and Culture, recently signed on to build 101 hospitals in Ghana and broke ground on the project this August. The District Hospitals are part of a nationwide healthcare infrastructure initiative, first announced in April 2020. The initiative involves the construction of 111 new healthcare facilities including 1

Profile of Harlem Arts Salon founders Margaret Porter Troupe and Quincy Troup

Ismail Einashe is an award-winning journalist and writer. BBC News recently published one of Einashe’s letters on his exploration of the art that flourishes in East Africa, specifically Nairobi, Kenya. Noting that Nairobi has become “an anchor for those fleeing conflict across the region…and in the process have created one of the continent’s most exciting art scenes,” Einashe speaks to the imagination, boldness, and creative flair that is present in the Eastern region and d

Before HGTV was a thing, Black folks were blazing the trail for reality design shows. In the late 1990’s Chicago filmmaker Barbara Allen produced Urban Suite . She teamed up with TC Carson, yep Kyle 'Baaarker' from Living Single , to give design-challenged urban dwellers tips for making their houses more of a home. There were no reality show opportunities for Black fashion designers back then, but perhaps the tide is turning with the ascendance of two Black women who are taki

“Founder,” “Curator,” “Ph.D. in medical biotechnology,” and “Professor,” are just a few of the impressive titles Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung holds, and now he will add a new Director position to his list. Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, Germany’s cosmopolitan venue for contemporary arts, has tapped Ndikung to begin his post as their Director in January 2023. In a statement, Ndikung said, “Berlin is home to citizens from 190 nations, and these people must be fundament

“When you learn the history of the African American story for the first time, you see America with 2020 vision.” – Bernard Kinsey In 1963, Shirley Pooler found herself in a Tallahassee jail, just one of many college students having been arrested for protests as part of the massive civil rights movement happening on campuses and nationwide at the time. Bernard Kinsey was a fellow freshman at Florida A&M University, involved with a local group championing the movement and suppo