Throughout the D.C. area, art lovers can find galleries and exhibits that celebrate Black excellence and history, and are free for the public to enjoy.
Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery Celebrates Women, Highlights Black Artists
The portrait of Oprah Winfrey at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery was considered one of the biggest art unveilings in 2023. Winfrey’s likeness was painted by Chicago artist Shawn Michael Warren and is a part of the Portrait Gallery’s permanent collection. The unveiling coincided with the opening of “The Color Purple,” which was co-executive produced by the media mogul. Overwhelmed by her completed portrait, Winfrey found herself breathless at the unveiling.
“The view was so beautiful. The light was so perfect,” said Winfrey. “I stepped back and did a rewind to ensure that I was alive and breathing and it wasn’t just in a dream.”
Winfrey’s painting coincided with the opening of the Portrait Gallery’s 2023-2024 edition of “Recent Acquisitions,” where images of women are featured through various media, from painting, sculpture, works on paper, and photographs to time-based media. Works of art are either created by women or feature women who have had a global impact. Portraits of women include artist Ruth Asawa, singer Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, actress Greta Garbo, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, artist Shigeko Kubota, actress and dancer Carmen de Lavallade, artist Nellie Mae Rowe, astronomer Vera Rubin, artist Betye Saar, photographer Ming Smith, and entrepreneur Madam C. J. Walker. This exhibition will be on display until Oct. 27.
“I was glad that the museum was able to get a larger and more colorful photograph because that resonates with a younger audience,” said D.C. resident A’Lelia Bundles, great-great-granddaughter, and official biographer of Madam.
More information on the “Recent Acquisitions” and the Oprah Winfrey portrait are available at npg.si.edu.
‘We Who Believe in Freedom: Black Feminist DC’ at MLK Library
Black women as advocates is the theme of “We Who Believe in Freedom: Black Feminist DC.” The exhibition is presented by the National Women’s History Museum at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library in downtown D.C. Curated by historians Sherie M. Randolph and Kendra T. Field, the powerful images feature 23 women who have been in the forefront of Black feminism.
A few women highlighted include Pauli Murray, Lucy Diggs Slowe, Ella Baker, June Jordan, and D.C.’s representative in Congress Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton. This exhibition is on view until Sept. 15 during regular hours at the library.
More information on this exhibition is available at womenshistory.org.
‘David C. Driskell & Friends: Creativity, Collaboration, and Friendship’
From the creative legacy of David C. Driskell (1931–2020), renowned artist, educator, curator, scholar, and historian, a compelling exhibition, “David C. Driskell & Friends: Creativity, Collaboration, and Friendship,” opens at The Driskell Center Gallery on Feb. 26 and runs until May 24.
Featuring more than 70 artworks by 35 prominent African American artists and original archival materials, “Driskell & Friends” brings to life Driskell’s profound commitment and support for his interpersonal connections with other artists. African American artists that will be featured include Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, Aaron Douglas, Loïs Mailou Jones, Jacob Lawrence, Alma Thomas, Kara Walker, and many more. “
Driskell & Friends will be the first exhibition in The Driskell Center’s newly renovated gallery at the University of Maryland’s College Park campus.
“We are excited to welcome these works of art back to campus,” said Assistant Director of Exhibitions & Programs Dr. Abby R. Eron. “This exhibition showcases the significance of Driskell’s professional and personal networks, which included some of the most eminent artists of the 20th century.”
Visit the David C. Driskell Center website for more information. https://driskellcenter.umd.edu