During these trying times, art has served as a sense of solace for many of us. For the creator, the act of painting or sculpting is therapeutic, and is a way to express emotions in a healthier, more productive way. In terms of the viewer, these portraits can evoke a powerful memory, or a life-changing experience – be it positive or negative. Throughout history, people of color have been persecuted, oppressed, and disenfranchised; which shows up in how many Black artists create.
While the winter brings cold weather, it also brings some of the best art that the world has to offer. The Smithsonian will be the site of Deconstructing Power: W.E.B. at the 1900 World Fair, and in California, viewers can see an expansive visual account of the African Diaspora from ove 130 artists. Nicolas Coleman, Rodney McMillan, Theaster Gates, and many others will all be featured in top-tier exhibitions in the coming months.
Take a look at our list of the must-see art exhibitions for Black artists on display this winter.
01
Nicolas Coleman: Moretto (Through 1/7/23)
02
Rodney McMillian: Regarding Violence (Through 1/7/23)
03
Angel Otero: Swimming Where Time Was (Through 12/23/22)
04
We Contain Multitudes (Through 1/15/23)
05
The New Bend (Through 12/30)
06
Theaster Gates: Vestment (Through 12/23)
07
Deconstructing Power: W.E.B. DuBois at the 1900 World’s Fair (Through 5/29/23)
08
Afro-Atlantic Histories (Through 9/10/23)
09
Visions in Black 2023 (2/2/23 – 2/25/23)
Visions in Black is a juried art exhibition celebrating the talents and love of the arts by showcasing artists of African descent who reside in the State of Florida.The Suncoast Black Arts Collaborative is pleased to announce a new exhibition concept representing Sarasota and Manatee Counties. We are extending our reach to Tampa and St. Petersburg, identifying talented visual artists. The exhibition concept provides more opportunities for artists of color.
10
Really Free: The Radical Art of Nellie Mae Rowe (Through 1/1/23)
11
New Work: Toyin Ojih Odutola (Through 1/22/23)
Toyin Ojih Odutola, Your Face is a Love Letter (Adeseun), 2021-22; © Toyin Ojih Odutola; courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York
Toyin Ojih Odutola, Local News, 2021; © Toyin Ojih Odutola; courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York
Toyin Ojih Odutola, Groundless II, 2021-22; © Toyin Ojih Odutola; courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainm
12
Bámigbóyè: A Master Sculptor of the Yorùbá Tradition (Through 1/8/23)
13
Garrett Bradley: American Rhapsody (Through 2/19/23)
14
The Dirty South: Contemporary Art, Material Culture, and the Sonic Impulse (Through 2/5/23)
15
Thaddeus Mosley: Forest (Through 1/21/23)