NYU Institute of African American Affairs & Center for Black Visual Culture

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Margie Johnson and John Pettigrew at Bruce’s Beach, Manhattan Beach, California, July 10, 1927. LaVera White Collection; courtesy Arthur and Elizabeth Lewis.

Now on view in “Black California Dreamin’: African Americans at America’s Leisure Frontier” through August 18, 2024.

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The other day I had the honor of photographing some of my photographic sheroes/heroes..at the MFON Global Symposium: Presence & Preservation powered by the Photoville Festival, MFON, in partnership with MPB.com, Open Society, Parsons School of Design. Pictured are Photographic Historian/Artist Deb Willis, Ph.d, Photographic Artist Adama Delphine Fawundu, Photographers Keisha Scarville, Brian Branch-Price, Salimah Ali, Howard Cash and Dee Dwyer. (Photo by terrence jennings/terrebcejennings.com)

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My sister & me for Interview Magazine 🔮

“Nona Hendryx Invites Carrie Mae Weems Inside Her Virtual Reality”

Check story for the link to the full article!

The 77th Annual Tony Awards took place (June 16) and we’d like to take a moment to honor —one of the first Black theatrical agents. In 1960, the stage, film, and television actress launched a one-woman letter crusade urging cast directors, product manufacturers, and ad agencies to cast Black actors and models in TV commercials. They were very rarely seen at the time.

Some of the feedback she received from companies was they wanted assistance with locating Black artists. In response, McClendon (1913–1991) became an agent and later opened her company, McClendon Agency, in 1963. McClendon, who represented Black and white artists, co-founded the agency with her husband, George Wiltshire. He was a singer, dancer, and actor.

McClendon’s opened the doors for countless artists. Her efforts led to opportunities to work in TV commercials, roles, and television parts. Many of her clients went on to win some of acting’s highest honors.

For portions of their careers, the McClendon Agency represented future Academy Award winners Irene Cara (co-songwriter, “Flashdance...What a Feeling”), (Million Dollar Baby) and (An Officer and a Gentleman), Emmy Award-winners (The Jeffersons) and (Mannix), Obie Award winner (In White America), and five-time Emmy Award-nominees (The Jeffersons) and (Breaking Bad). Other actors included (The Great White Hope), (The Love Boat), and (Sanford & Son).

We are home to the Ernestine McClendon papers.

Click the link in our bio to learn more about her.

Photo: Lisa Herndon

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“To all the fathers who dare to dream, to all the fathers who dare to love.” — Carrie Mae Weems

“PORTRAITS OF FATHERHOOD”

A$AP ROCKY x CARRIE MAE WEEMS x BOTTEGA VENETA

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Where do we go from here?

Today we announce ’ first monograph surveying our nationwide billboard campaigns from 2016 to 2023, published with and Monacelli.

Available in October, ahead of the 2024 presidential election, this book honors the more than 550 artworks that have momentarily appeared in public spaces throughout the country in response to the political, cultural, and ideological times in which these artists have lived.

Together, we invite you to journey with us toward a constantly evolving destination, and a question that continues to be relevant whenever we ask it, “Where do we go from here?”

Tap to pre-order or visit the link in bio.

Dr. Bettina Love and her book ‘We Want to Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom’, highlighted at the NYU Bookstore!

“Drawing on her life’s work of teaching and researching in urban schools, Bettina Love persuasively argues that educators must teach students about racial violence, oppression, and how to make sustainable change in their communities through radical civic initiatives and movements. She argues that the US educational system is maintained by and profits from the suffering of children of color. Instead of trying to repair a flawed system, educational reformers offer survival tactics in the forms of test-taking skills, acronyms, grit labs, and character education, which Love calls the educational survival complex.

To dismantle the educational survival complex and to achieve educational freedom—not merely reform—teachers, parents, and community leaders must approach education with the imagination, determination, boldness, and urgency of an abolitionist. Following in the tradition of activists like Ella Baker, Bayard Rustin, and Fannie Lou Hamer, We Want to Do More Than Survive introduces an alternative to traditional modes of educational reform and expands our ideas of civic engagement and intersectional justice.“

In August 2023, twelve talented artists collaborated with Dr. Deborah Willis in an unforgettable photography Master Class at Anderson Ranch Arts Center. The result? “Home Reimaginings”—a gallery exhibition celebrating the concepts and images born from this transformative workshop.⁠
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🔺Curated by Dr. Deborah Willis and Tara Bryan, this exhibition explored the evolving meaning of ‘home’ through confinement and reflection during lockdown, offered fresh perspectives and profound insights.⁠
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Closing reception of “Home Reimaginings” was yesterday, May 28, 2024. Dr. Deb Willis was present to share insight and celebrate the unique journey.
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Photos courtesy of

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In August 2023, twelve artists had the privilege of participating in a master class taught by the incomparable at Anderson Ranch Art Center. “Home, Reimaginings” explores how we see and interpret concepts of home. We considered homes’ construction and deconstruction. How do we reimagine Home and what is it now?

📸 Tara Bryan, Anwulika Anigbo, Matthew Bailey, Robin Flowers-Quinney, Lisa-Nichol Herd, Ann Johnson, Felicia Megginson, Anh-Thuý Nguyễn, Dominic M Pearson, Elisabeth Relin, Li Rothrock, Deborah Willis () (), “Home, Reimaginings”
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🔗 Link in bio to preview more of “Home, Reimaginings “, as well as all the 85+ public exhibits going up throughout NYC this summer!⁠
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 📍 Brooklyn Bridge Park
⬛ Presented by Anderson Ranch () & Photoville
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 📅 June 1 – 16, 2024
📣 Opening Weekend June 1 and 2, 2024 in
📍 85+ exhibitions across all 5 boroughs + IRL & online public programming
✨ Link in bio to learn more!

Thanks to the Marquee Partners: , , , , , , , and

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Mickalene Thomas: All About Love is now on view at The Broad Museum❣️

This exhibition shares its title and several of its themes with the pivotal text by feminist author bell hooks, in which love is an active process rooted in healing, carving a path away from domination and towards collective liberation.

Depicting women with confident and assured expressions, the subjects of my works are often seen in domestic interiors from Black America, claiming the agency of womanhood while deconstructing the art historical canon.

Book your tickets at the link in bio and be sure not to miss out. Now through September 29.

📷 Joshua White

🏷️                 

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“Portraiture, for me, is having the opportunity to tell a story, to tell my story, to tell our story [as Black people], to have the portrait work in ways that are creating a counter-narrative, a corrective narrative, but then also a narrative that can carry us into our future selves. They have the capacity to be mirrors for today and also vessels to look through to see into the future.” — Amy Sherald

Amy Sherald says that her painting practice helps cleanse her spirit from the bombardment of daily injustices that circulate across our media platforms. “The tradition of portraiture has become a way to reclaim time for me as a Black figurative painter that paints Black people…The paintings are a resting place for people to see a reflection of themselves that is not in resistance or contention. It’s just a Black person being a person.”

Amy Sherald’s painting will be featured in our upcoming “Reclaiming My Time” display opening May 31.

Follow the link in bio to learn more.

📸 (detail and full view) Grand Dame Queenie, 2012. Amy Sherald. Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, © Amy Sherald.

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I am thrilled to be featured by Tara Anne Dalbow and the team at in this compelling article. It delves into the profound influence of Betye Saar , whose radical assemblages have paved the way for a new generation of Black women artists. The piece beautifully examines how Saar’s boundary-breaking work continues to inspire and shape contemporary art, resonating deeply with artists like myself. Thank you for highlighting this important artistic lineage and recognizing the impact of Saar’s legacy on today’s creative landscape.

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This moment in United States arts philanthropy is defined in part by long-overdue investments in Black, Latinx, Arab, Asian, and Native artists and organizations. The Mellon Foundation, Surdna Foundation, Wallace Foundation, and others have evolved their grantmaking to invest more deeply in creative communities of color, and MacKenzie Scott has funneled hundreds of millions of dollars into smaller arts organizations from culturally rich regions that donors have often overlooked.

The momentum to fund artists and arts groups of color is multi-pronged. Funders stand at a historic crossroads — a social, environmental, and economic reckoning hastened by COVID-19 and a global movement for racial equity — and are stepping up to make change.

Philanthropic leaders Rocío Aranda-Alvarado and Lane Harwell share nine points on how institutions can redouble their efforts to fund artists and organizations of color and sharpen grantmaking practices to advance racial justice.

Read more through the link in bio.




Performance artist Violeta Luna in “Virgins and Goddesses” (photo by Zen Cohen, courtesy the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures)

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Open now through July 8: Explore our newest in-person exhibition, The Ways of Langston Hughes: Griff Davis and Black Artists in the Making. Tap the link in bio to learn more.

Photo: Lisa Herndon

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Legendary Fela Anikulapo Kuti with Keith Haring, Grace Jones & Jean-Michel Basquiat in New York (1986)

Follow on all media platforms and stay tuned, A New documentary on the 100-Year journey of Yoruba Music is Underway

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Save the date on June 13 & 14 for “Monumental Concerns: Part 2” at the Joseph I. Lubin House in New York City.

“Hosted by Syracuse University Artist in Residence, Carrie Mae Weems, this symposium will continue the thoughtful discussion of themes addressed in the first installment of Monumental Concerns last fall. Join us as we bring together scholars, artists, curators, activists, and local historians to further the dialogue around monuments and the contested histories they commemorate. By focusing on how we can apply principles from conflict resolution and restorative justice to these conversations, we aim to build a structure to help us move beyond ideological divisions and create a sense of belonging for all. Monumental Concerns is Sponsored by the Mellon Foundation and Syracuse University“

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Immersed in the soul-stirring conversations at the 14th iteration of Black Portraitures in Venice, Italy 🇮🇹✨. This gathering was more than just an event; it was a transformational experience during the Venice Biennale. Shifting Paradigms truly brought together thought leaders from Africa and the African Diaspora, sparking innovative approaches in art and storytelling. A heartfelt congratulations to the organizers for a phenomenal conference! My first time here, but definitely not my last. .

TOMORROW!!

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Sonido y baile – Performing Afterlives of Cuba, ca. 1956

🗓️ Friday, May 3, 2024
🕒 6 pm (EST)
📍 Center for Ballet and the Arts Studio, 16 Cooper Square

Join for an evening of original creative works inspired by “Música de los cultos africanos en Cuba” (Music of the African Cults in Cuba), a remarkable audio archive of Afro-Cuban sacred music, recorded in the mid-1950s by Josefina Tarafa in collaboration with Cuban ethnographer Lydia Cabrera. Approaching the historical recordings (and the rich traditions they represent) in sound and movement, composer/percussionist Javier Diaz, singer/composer David Oquendo, dancer/choreographer Beatrice Capote, and Mellon Scholar in Residence David Font-Navarrete will offer intimate interpretations of the sounds, traditions, and people documented in Música de los cultos.

The “Música de los cultos” recordings are perhaps the single most robust multimedia archive of Afro-Cuban sacred music traditions in the mid-20th century. We invite you to join us as these distinguished artists present works inspired by this extraordinary collection.

This is an in-person event that requires registration. All non-NYU attendees must RSVP in advance. Video documentation will be made available on the Institute website following the event.

This event will be in Spanish and English.

To RSVP and for more info follow the link in bio.

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Opening Reception: Fri, May 3, 2024 | 6-9PM

RICHARD BEAVERS GALLERY, Soho
presents

SUBJECT MATTERS

Opening Reception
May 3, 2024 | 6:00PM - 9:00PM

Exhibition Dates
May 3, 2024 - June 15, 2024

What does it mean for a person, a community, or a life to matter? Today, we encounter the politicization of identity that pits us against one another rather than amplifies the voices that have been continually suppressed. “Subject Matters,” a group exhibition featuring the works that tackles this notion by illuminating the multifaceted narratives of black life and culture within inner city environments.

These artists bring together their unique and diverse experiences, triumphs, fears, and hopes from their respective communities. Their distinct approaches place their stories against a backdrop of societal marginalization and systemic inequality. By confronting the social, political, and cultural issues by challenging mainstream discourses that seek to rewrite their histories, these artists offer compelling insights into the lived realities of black individuals and communities.

“Subject Matters” is a proclamation. Whether through figuration or abstraction, painting, or multidisciplinary mediums, the exhibition’s artists subvert narratives of oppression, violence, and trauma. In their place, they reveal layers and layers of stories that celebrate the richness and diversity of their cultural heritage, despite the weight of racial divides that continue to persist. From portraiture to scenes of everyday life and even the conceptual embodiment of the Black psyche, these artworks are testaments to the resilience, creativity, and ingenuity that survive within Black communities forced to navigate the complexities of inner-city life….

EXHIBITING ARTIST
Desmond Beach | Brittsense | Xavier Daniels | Lynthia Edwards | Clarence Heyward | Stefanie Jackson | Marcus Antonius Jansen | Frank Morrison | TJ Morrison | Melvin Nesbitt Jr | Dan Oliver | Terron Cooper Sorrells | Phyllis Stephens

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A New York Times article about that centers on the All African People’s Consulate, Venice Biennial project has just been released. These slides are just some highlights of the substantive article by . The article situates this project in the overall production of the past 35 years.

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On Friday, May 3-Saturday, May 4, the A/P/A Graduate Student Working Group hosts, “A/P/A Studies and Crisis.” The symposium brings together graduate students from across the US to explore how the concept of “crisis” can expand understandings of what it means to place geographies, histories, identities, and cultures of “Asian,” “Pacific,” and “American” together as scholarly, political, and social formations. How can A/P/A studies offer an inclusive and connective response to various crises that have been contained into separate spatial and geographic parameters? How can A/P/A studies respond to crises by formulating a collective vision of interconnected struggles, identities, and histories?

Participants will present their work and engage in cross-disciplinary discussions during four moderated panels: “Philippines, Disinformation, and Dystopia,” “Abolition, Gender, and Migration,” “Beauty and Ecology,” and “Internationalism, Third Worldism, and Colonialism in Asia.” The symposium will conclude with a keynote from organizers.

See the full symposium schedule and register at the link in the bio.

Photograph by Chrisna Senatus via Pexels, May 2021.

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Black Portraiture(s) 2024 in Venice, Italy was truly a testament to the cultural understanding that the future is US. Deb Willis, Ph. d, along with Cheryl Finley, a long time collaborator and thought curator, the ever evolving, highly inspiring Carrie Mae Weems, Visual Artist Hank Willis and Joan Morgan, Ph.D , her team and a host others set the standard for US to move forward to a insure a better future in the advancement of the Human species. It was indeed an honor to witness and meet new folks from around the globe. (Photo by Terrence Jennings for the World)

At the CBVC’s final Spring 2024 event ‘An Intimate Conversation with Felipe Luciano’, Luciano discusses the making of his book ‘Flesh and Spirit: Confessions of a Young Lord’.

Pictured: Luciano signing a guest’s copy of his book.

Image #2: Luciano signing books for the CBVC Library from CBVC Program Manager Kalila Abdur-Razzaq

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The CBVC’s final Spring 2024 event was ‘An Intimate Conversation with Felipe Luciano’ on his book ‘Flesh & Spirit: Confessions of a Young Lord’. The conversation was had between Felipe Luciano and Bentley Brown.

Felipe Luciano is an Emmy Award–winning journalist, news anchor, and former adjunct professor at Fordham University. He is the co-founder and chairman of the Young Lords Party, a member of The Original Last Poets, an advocate for inter-ethnic communication, and the host of “Latin Roots,” a Latino music program in New York City. A talented diversity speaker, Luciano is committed to community empowerment, ethnic pride, and civil rights. He is a regular contributor to many New York–area newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times and Essence. His poetry has appeared in anthologies such as Puerto Rican Poetry: An Anthology from Aboriginal to Contemporary Time.

Bentley Brown (b. 1995) is a multidisciplinary artist, curator, and doctoral candidate at The Institute of Fine Arts, NYU and is based in the Bronx, NY and Phoenix, AZ. His dissertation project at the Institute explores the pioneering role of Black artists and Black creative spaces within New York City’s contemporary art movements of the late 1960s through the mid 1980s. In his artistic practice, inspired by African American cultural production, abstract and figurative expressionist approaches to artistic process and the desert landscape of his native Phoenix, Brown uses the mediums of canvas, found objects, photo-collage and film to explore themes of Black identity, cosmology, and American interculturalism. Brown is an Adjunct Professor of Art History at Fordham University and Parsons School of Design.

Pictured: Bentley Brown and Felipe Luciano

Image #2: CBVC Program Director Dr. Joan Morgan introducing guests Bentley Brown and Felipe Luciano

A livestream of the event is available on the CBVC IAAA YouTube channel.

Photos by

The CBVC Spring 2024 event ‘We Made You Look: Exploring Hip Hop’s Influence on Black Visual Culture’.

Pictured: Lisa Leone signing a guest’s book

Image #2: Carlos Mare’s presentation

Image #3: Rob Marriott’s presentation

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