No matter where you are or who you are, we sincerely hope that you are finding joy in your surroundings.
As we close out Women's History Month, we are reminded that women have been on the cutting edge of innovation and creative thinking since time immemorial. Black women artists have always given us insight and encouragement, regardless of the obstacles they may have had to navigate. They continue to encourage us to be creative, bold, and unapologetic. This month begs us to seek their guidance and to be inspired by their accomplishments and vision.
Born in 1943 when the work of Black women artists was deeply suppressed, mixed media artist Howardena Pindell, the first African American Associate Curator and Director of the Department of Prints and Illustrated Books at the Museum of Modern Art, recently shared the wisest of words when asked what Women's History meant to her. Here's what she had to say: "At 82, I wish I had written down more of what I accomplished and my dreams for the future. We need to be more of an inspiration for future generations, especially in this time of turmoil and chaos. Do not hide your light under a rock; do not hide your accomplishments."
The exceptional curatorial practice of Seattle's Elisheba Johnson, co-founder and curator at Wa Na Wari, conceived a perfect interruption during our Women's History Month that beckoned our senses to be elevated into the world of Black imagination. Guidestar was a sensory experience, unlike anything we've ever experienced in these Pacific Northwest parts. Created by New York-based artists Mendi + Keith Obadike, the installation was a display of synchronized lighting from the top of the Space Needle and improvised vocals encircling the Seattle Center Fountain.
Photographer Nona Faustine, whose White Shoes series of self-portraits was on view last year at the Brooklyn Museum, transitioned just as this is being written. Her work focused on 'critical reexaminations of America's racist history with tributes to ancestors whose narratives had long been suppressed or undervalued.' Wearing white shoes, Nona would position herself naked or partially clothed at various former slave auction sites across New York. In a recent article announcing her passing at age 48, former Hyperallergic editor Seph Rodney said, "Nona Faustine was brave in a way that most women and men are not." Nona's unapologetic bravery exemplifies a sense of full self-participation in an artistic practice.
The 103-year-old publications, ARTnews and Art in America, released their list of 100 of the Greatest Artworks of the 21st Century, and it is a list worth perusing. Black women represented on the list include South African artist Zanele Muholi (#70), Wangechi Mutu (#65), LaToya Ruby Frazier (#22), and two of our favorites: Simone Leigh (#13) for her stunning sculpture Brick House, and Kara Walker's Marvelous Sugar Baby (#12). There are others to check out, including Mendi + Keith's jarring Blackness for Sale (#30). We don't much care about lists, yet it is always good to see artists we love included when there's counting being done!
Before the end of Women's History Month, take a virtual trip to the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture and enjoy Hidden Herstory. The online exhibit focuses exclusively on African American Women in the Arts and includes narratives and videos.
Women's History Month offers an opportunity to learn something new about the lives and history of Black women. We hope you find something new that enlightens and brings you joy.
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