Black Literary Art

As the United States stands on the threshold of its 250th Anniversary,  Pigment International®  invites Chicago’s cultural community to a landmark gathering during Spring Art Week 2026. The Pigment International Salon Talk will convene artists, institution leaders, policymakers, and patrons for an intimate morning of dialogue, reflection, and celebration—timed to coincide with Spring Art Week in the city. Pigment International continues its focus on national identity, ancestr

Ra Joy, Executive Director Bronzeville Center For The Arts (BCA) This year America will celebrate its semi-quincentennial and the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. As the nation reflects on its founding, it also finds itself wrestling with fundamental questions around what we choose to remember, who we choose to honor, what we collectively celebrate, and why it all matters.  With America’s 250th birthday rapidly approaching, the stakes are high. Poli

Artwork Orbiting by Alma Thomas Curators, artists, and arts professionals gather for a landmark series of conversations during Spring Art Week Dialogues, presented by Northern Trust, brings together curators, artists, and arts professionals for a series of panel discussions, forums, and artistic discourse on the themes defining contemporary culture. Highlights include a reflection on the legacy of Alma Thomas featuring artists Lindsay Adams and Amanda Williams alongside cur

By Dontae Muse  When you think of the Biennale, you might think of Venice. I wish. This one was nearly chosen, except for the lack of water. I hopped over the water, the Hudson River, to experience the Whitney Biennial 2026 during the preview at the Whitney Museum of American Art, before it opened to the public, courtesy of my membership. I have to say that observing the exhibition in its quiet state, before the reactions unfold, allows for a deeper appreciation of its const

Dr. Teddy Rashaan, National Museum of African American History & Culture (NMAAHC); Monetta White, Museum of the African Diaspora; Dr. Leronn P. Brooks, Getty Research Institute; and moderator Ed Gordon. Guardians of History: Shaping Narratives in Museums  was a powerful conversation at the Black Empowerment Summit during LA Art Week, examining how museums, cultural leaders and communities collectively shape the historical record. Moderated by journalist and media executive Ed

Rush Baker IV, Monica Haslip, and Vicki Heyman were in conversation with Rufus Willaims at Zhou B Art Center as Glory! Glory! continues. On Friday, March 13, Zhou B Art Center became a sanctuary for honest, searching dialogue when  Glory! Glory!  — the exhibition celebrating the nation's 250th anniversary through the lens of Black artists — hosted a panel discussion as powerful as the work on its walls. WVON radio host Rufus Williams set the tone immediately, inviting the

Bernard and Shirley Kinsey shared their story at the Black Art Empowerment Summit in LA iduring LA Art Week. Moderated by their son Khalil , the family signed copies of their most recent book. During  LA Art Week  in February, a standout conversation at the  Black Empowerment Summit  brought together three members of one of the art world’s most influential collecting families. Moderated by  Khalil Kinsey , the panel  “A Family Affair: The Kinsey Collection at 20 Years”  fea

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

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

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

Photos by Monique Brinkman Hill, Vanessa Hobson and LeeAnn Trotter The opening reception of the 2nd Annual Black History Festival of the Arts, presented by the OH Art Foundation, was a celebratory gathering of artists, writers, curators, collectors, and cultural leaders in a shared affirmation of Black creative legacy. The evening marked the debut of  Rephrases en Noir , a group exhibition that situates Black literature as both source material and conceptual foundation for