In September 2023, a notable exhibition opened in Amersfoort, the Netherlands, showcasing the powerful narratives of Black American life that are increasingly overlooked in the United States. Journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones delivered a compelling lecture beneath the striking installations of artist Nina Chanel Abney at the Elbow Church art space. This event marked the opening of two significant exhibitions: Jacob Lawrence: African American Modernist and Nina Chanel Abney: Heaven’s Hotline, highlighting the scope of Black American artistic expression.
This year has seen a remarkable surge in European museums presenting major exhibitions dedicated to Black American artists. Notable shows include Kerry James Marshall at the Royal Academy in London, Lawrence at Kunsthal KAdé in Amersfoort, Abney in Paris and Amersfoort, and Mickalene Thomas at Les Abattoirs in Toulouse, with an upcoming exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris. These events, seemingly synchronized, suggest a significant reckoning in the art world.
Major Institutional Commitments to Black American Artists
These exhibitions are not merely routine gallery displays; they represent substantial institutional commitments. Entire floors of museums are dedicated to a single artist, showcasing hundreds of works that span decades. These shows document the multifaceted aspects of Black American life—history, love, resistance, queerness, labor, death, and joy—without hesitation or simplification.
At Kunsthal KAdé, audiences are experiencing Jacob Lawrence in his first comprehensive European overview, which includes four new portraits commissioned from contemporary artist Barbara Earl Thomas, a friend and former student of Lawrence. This juxtaposition is striking: while Europe embraces the narratives of Black American artists, the United States grapples with an erosion of institutional support and civil rights.
In July, Amy Sherald withdrew her planned exhibition, American Sublime, from the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery after her portrayals were deemed too controversial. According to the American Alliance of Museums, approximately one-third of U.S. museums lost federal funding since Donald Trump took office, with around one in four reducing programs for underserved communities. This context amplifies the significance of Marshall’s exhibition in London, where he presented the largest survey of his work ever in Europe, asserting that Black presence is essential in Western art history.
Challenging Narratives Through Art
Marshall’s monumental works, such as “School of Beauty, School of Culture” (2012), emphasize visibility and permanence amidst the ongoing erasure of Black lives in America. His art serves as a crucial reminder of the cultural contributions of Black Americans, even as many face violent deportations or systemic exclusion.
Thomas’s exhibitions are equally transformative. Her show All About Love at Les Abattoirs in Toulouse marked her first major exhibition in France. In December, she will open the first significant exhibition by an African American artist at the Grand Palais in Paris. Her works, which include striking rhinestone portraits of Black women, challenge historical representations and assert authority in an artistic landscape that has often marginalized their voices.
Abney’s work in Heaven’s Hotline confronts the intersections of religion and capitalism, critiquing American Christian ideals in a time of rising White Christian nationalism. Together, these exhibitions provide a platform for Black American stories that resist oversimplification and demand recognition.
This moment in European art institutions is not merely a trend; it is a substantive shift. The commitment to showcasing Black American narratives stands in stark contrast to the increasing censorship and disinvestment seen in the United States. The contrast between the vibrant portrayal of Black experiences in Europe and the restrictive climate at home raises critical questions about representation and the stories deemed worthy of being told.
Historically, many Black Americans, such as James Baldwin and Richard Wright, sought refuge in Europe during times of domestic turmoil. However, the current exhibitions signify more than individual solace; they reflect a broader institutional acknowledgment of the importance of Black American narratives. As the United States attempts to suppress these stories, Europe is stepping in to celebrate and elevate them.
Experiencing these exhibitions underscores the complex realities faced by Black Americans, encompassing themes of erasure, exclusion, and brutality, alongside joy and resilience. The growing chasm between the narratives celebrated in European spaces and those suppressed in the U.S. prompts reflection on the future of storytelling in art.
This moment establishes a precedent regarding which American stories will be preserved and remembered. Who chooses to witness these narratives matters, as does the recognition of those who choose to look away.
