HAVING OUR SAY | MORE FROM THE BLACK ART ECOSYSTEM ABOUT 2026 - PT. 2
- Patricia Andrews-Keenan
- 4 days ago
- 1 min read
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 feels like the beginning of a new renaissance that is rooted in ownership, imagination, and long-term vision.
Black artists have always been ahead of the curve by creating work that documents our past and present while forecasting our future. What feels different now is how clearly that work is being recognized as having value. In a moment when traditional markets feel increasingly unstable, visual art, especially Black visual art, feels grounded. I've noticed that Black art holds history, labor, and spirit in ways, in my opinion, stocks never can. It's worth isn’t abstract. It’s lived, felt, and carried forward.
I believe we're entering a period where Black art becomes one of the most meaningful investments of our time, not just financially, but culturally. Collecting will move away from speculation and toward stewardship. Institutions will be challenged to think beyond anniversaries and exhibitions and instead consider legacy, care, and continuity. Artists will continue to define their own terms, not only creatively, but economically.