Artist Spotlights

Pigment Salon Talk Glory! Glory! at Adler University. From left Phyliss North, Patricia Andrews-Keenan, Jane Carpenter-Rock, Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM); State Rep. Kimberly du Buclet; Lisa Coleman, PhD. President of Adler University; Artist D. Lammie-Hanson; Patrica Jones Blessman, PhD.; Valerie Francis, Knowhere Gallery, and Allison Casselberry. Spring Art Week Chicago 2026: A Roundup   We go deeper on specifics in later issues — this week, let the photos do the

Martha Wade at William Blair, her 3D chair, and work by Briana McNeil Scott. On Wednesday, at  William Blair ,  Martha Wade  debuted not just new work, but her work took new form when she created a chair. Wade's calm, consistency and commitment to community shone through in her interview with Blair’s curator Isidora K. Lagos under the theme Expressive Journeys: The panel of self-taught artists also included Grace Federighi, Briana McNeil, and O’Neil Scott.

Photo by Barrington Darius When Frieze tapped Essence Harden to curate the Profile section of Expo Chicago 2026, it wasn't simply a curatorial appointment — it was a statement about what the fair intends to become. Multi-generational Bay Area roots, an academic foundation in African Diaspora Studies, and a practice built on long-term relationships with artists: Harden arrives in Chicago as someone who understands what it means to belong to a place before you've ever lived t

Works from the collection of Dr. J. Eugene Grisby, Jr.: From top Hale Woodruff , Jacob Lawrence and John Biggers.

Danny Dunson, DuSable Black History Museum & Education Center, in conversation with Bisa Butler at Soho House On a recent evening at Soho House Chicago, curator Erica S. Hubbard created something rare — an intimate space for Chicagoans to sit with one of contemporary art's most powerful voices. Textile artist Bisa Butler joined curator D anny Dunson for a conversation that felt less like a formal program and more like an exchange between old friends, candid, unscripted, and a

Robert Lewis Clark's '44' is available now On a cold February morning in 2007, Barack Obama stood in Springfield, Illinois and set history in motion. From that day, millions of Americans became archivists — clipping headlines, saving programs, holding onto anything that might one day prove they witnessed the moment. Lura Satterfield Shareef was one of them. After the historic 2008 election, she handed her son every clipping, every fragment of that momentous chapter and said

From top left: Pigment founders Patricia Andrews-Keenan and Phyliss North, work by Candace Hunter, artist panel Robert Lewis Clark, Reggie McFly, Paul Branton, and Nnaemeka Ekwelum; Middle row: work by Candace Hunter, Patricia Jones Blessman, and former U.S. Senator and Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun, and champagne toast. Bottom row: Pigment merchandise, Vicki and Bruce Heyman, former Ambassador to Canada, with grandson Levi, Sylvia Ewing, and Pat Everett. Photos by Thought P

Opening Night of Glory! Glory at Zhou B Art Center Pigment International continues the momentum of  Glory! Glory! with an evening of critical dialogue and cultural inquiry. On  Friday, March 13 at 6:00 PM , Glory! Glory! Salon Talk will convene artists, civic leaders, and political voices for a moderated conversation examining the intersection of art, civic engagement, and politics. Panelists will explore how creative practice can function as civic discourse—how visual langua

CELEBRATING NOLA BLACK CARNIVAL SOCIETY The opening of “ Origins of New Orleans Black Carnival Society” in New Orleans. The exhibit continues through March 15th.  Sandra McCollum’s mother Verlie Etta Bright, was the inspiration for the exhibition. Here she is pictured with Bright’s great-granddaughter, Melieaa McCollum.   LESSONS LEARNED BOOK SIGNING  Ruby Simmons , author of “Lessons Learned”, with Faye Edwards , owner of Faiè Afrikan Art Bronzeville, site of the reading

Paul Branton and his work featuring Stacey Abrams; Work by Nate Austin; work by Nnaemeka Ekwelum; Reggie McFly; Robert Lewis Clark, Candace Hunter, and Nate Austin. Pigment International is proud to present  Glory! Glory! , opening  Friday, February 20  at the  Zhou B Art Center  from  7:00–10:00 PM . This powerful group exhibition brings together new and recent works by Candace Hunter, Nnaemeka Ekwelum, Reggie McFly, Paul Branton, Nate Austin, and Robert Lewis Clark —each re

Artist Robert Lewis Clark with his work '44" Pigment International’s  Glory! Glory!  opening on  Friday, February 20, 2026  at the  Zhou B Art Center  in Chicago, is a civic-centered exhibition foregrounding Black artistic perspectives on the imagery and symbolism of the U.S. flag. The exhibition encourages reflection and dialogue through both representational and interpretive approaches to this iconic national symbol. ( Eventbrite ) A central highlight is  Robert Lewis Clark

Tyanna Buie is working on her installation, Be the Change!  for the Obama Presidential Center. Photo Kaylee Pugliese/Courtesy RISD The soon-to-open  Obama Presidential Center in Chicago  is fast becoming one of the most ambitious public art programs in recent U.S. history, blending civic dialogue with artistic expression across its 19.3-acre campus. Set to open in  spring 2026 , the Center has now commissioned works by more than  25 leading contemporary artists , including  M

Dontae Muse. Work by Danielle Scott Between the Instagram carousel, the group chat exhibition announcement, and Chat GPT, the word “curator” slipped its shoes off and made itself comfortable. Too comfortable, maybe. Let me be clear before the think pieces begin to make themselves: everybody can curate. We all do it daily. We curate playlists, dinner parties, mood boards, timelines, and digital selves. Selection is human. Taste is personal. Storytelling is a natural human pres

Work by Robert Lewis Clark - Mixed Media on Wood 8' X 11' X 2' Pigment International Presents  Glory! Glory!  at Zhou B Art Center, February 20 Pigment International announces  Glory! Glory! , a group exhibition examining symbolism, citizenship, and collective power through contemporary Black art. The exhibition opens Friday, February 20, at Zhou B Art Center 1029 W. 35th Street , with a reception from 7:00–10:00 PM. The event is free and open to the public, advance registrat

Top row right, Munson and Christina Steed at the KJM exhibit in London. The exhibition is now in Paris. Bottom row left, Patricia Jones Blessman at MoAD in San Francisco. KERRY JAMES MARSHALL IN PARIS "Kerry James Marshall: The Histories" continues at the  Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris , following its run at the Royal Academy of Arts and Kunsthaus Zürich. The exhibition features over 70 works, including new paintings exploring Black African roles in the transatlantic slave tra

@kenneydoug - Photo Contributor How does an art event remain vital after more than half a century? Black Creativity 2026 at the Griffin Museum of Science & Industry answers that question not with spectacle alone, but with sustained rigor, thoughtful curation, and an unwavering commitment to Black creative excellence. Opening this past Monday, Black Creativity once again proved why it remains one of the most competitive juried exhibitions in the country. Pigment Internationa

Christina Steed, Rachel Dukes, and Patricia Andrews-Keenan.  Work by Delita Martin on the cover of Beyond Frames Exhibition, where works from the collections of Steed and Andrews-Keenan were featured. The South Side Community Art Center (SSCAC ) has announced the release of two important new publications that further its legacy as a steward of Black cultural history and contemporary thought in Chicago. Developed in conjunction with recent public programs, both books center B

Photos courtesy of Janelle Nelson Opening on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 19, 2026,  The Fierce Urgency of Now  launched at IMAN’s IMANifest Arts Studios Gallery with a powerful gathering of artists, cultural leaders, and community members. Presented by IMAN in partnership with the Terra Foundation for American Art, the exhibition commemorates the 60th anniversary of the Chicago Freedom Movement’s historic 1966 march through Marquette Park, using art as a lens to confr

Artist Tasnee Durrett ARTIST TASANEE DURRETT Durrett’s practice is about repair, reconnecting what is broken and creating spaces for healing. The licensed architect is a lover of nature who weaves natural materials including plant fibers and cocoons into her work with an emphasis on the head and neck. As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, I see 2026 less as a celebration and more as a turning point. For Black artists, collectors, and cultural institutions, it

Artist Sonja Henderson SCULPTOR SONJA HENDERSON'S POETIC MESSAGE TO 2026. Henderson is an award-winning, Chicago-based sculptor, educator, and community organizer. She is part of the group exhibition The Fierce Urgency of Now, opening Monday, January 19th at IManifest Studio Gallery, 2755 W. 63rd St., Chicago.   Artwork - Mystic and the Magpie, 36 X 78 X 48, Mixed Media: Palms, vintage beads, feathers, found objects, digital monitor, carved hands and birds. We are the people