White Sins, Black Jesus

April 14, 2023

Using all manner of legal maneuvers, Harvard University continues to fight Tamara Lanier’s request to reclaim daguerreotypes of her enslaved ancestors, held at the school's Peabody Museum. Our News Editor Valentina Di Liscia brings the latest updates on this story after a court hearing yesterday.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this next one: A stained-glass window in a church in Rhode Island is said to have been the first to depict a Black Jesus. And according to scholars, the work is linked to well-off White women who felt guilty about the source of their families' wealth: slavery.

Also today: Alison Saar and Toni Morrison, Susan Bee, Rigo 23, Required Reading, and more.

— Hakim Bishara, Senior Editor

The Incredible Synergy of Toni Morrison and Alison Saar

At Princeton University, Cycle of Creativity sets the writer’s archive in dialogue with the artist’s paintings, prints, and sculptures. | Elaine Velie

SPONSORED

UCI Langson IMCA: Inspiring Students and Community

Come along with us as we create “magical experiences” and a new home for California art. Explore how UCI Langson Institute and Museum of California Art provides learning opportunities for the campus and community, and stimulates important conversations about art inspired by the Golden State.
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WHAT'S HAPPENING

Jesus speaks to the Samaritan woman. Both figures are portrayed with dark skin. (photo courtesy Hadley Arnold)

A rare stained-glass portrait of a Black Christ is linked to a group of wealthy White women with a complicated history.

In a hearing, Tamara Lanier's counsel argued she could seek possession of the daguerreotypes of her enslaved ancestors via equitable restitution.

SPONSORED

Visionary Art Collective Celebrates Six Contemporary Women Artists in First NYC Exhibition

Works by Bri Custer, Colleen Gleason Shull, Julie Avisar, Ekaterina Popova, Amanda Hawkins, and Sarah Boyle blend natural landscapes and urban life. On view April 20 through 27. Learn more.

EXHIBITIONS ON OUR RADAR

New York Has Something to Learn From San Francisco

The city could use more political public murals like those of the artist known as Rigo 23. | John Yau

Elizabeth Talford Scott's Quilts Defy the Grid

“Quilt” is an insufficient description for the extraordinary fabric pieces Scott began to construct in the 1970s. | Judith Stein

Queer Love Shines in a Bronx Exhibition

A show at Lehman College Art Gallery featuring four dozen LGBTQ+ artists from all walks of life prioritizes themes of romance and affection. | Rhea Nayyar

SPONSORED

The Milton Resnick and Pat Passlof Foundation Presents The Feminine in Abstract Painting

Curated by Jennifer Samet and Andrea Belag, this group exhibition in NYC explores the feminine through aesthetics, as opposed to identity or gender. Learn more.

MORE ON HYPERALLERGIC

Susan Bee Tames the Beast

The artist’s playful paintings of medieval women saints fighting monsters and dragons have a Jewish angle. | Isabella Segalovich

Required Reading

This week, uncovering clues about the Benin Bronzes, the British Museum takes everything but a joke, Hollywood writers vote on a strike, and popcorn bags can do what? | Hrag Vartanian and Lakshmi Rivera Amin

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TRANSITIONS

Danny Baez was named head of Arts at Kickstarter.

Miguel Fernandez and Franck Giraud joined the board of trustees of the Chinati Foundation.

Brian Piper was appointed curator of photographs, prints, and drawings at New Orleans Museum of Art.

Clare Woods is now represented by Night Gallery.

Claudia Zapata was named the first associate curator of Latino Art at the Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Texas, Austin.

Leah Ke Yi Zheng is now represented by David Lewis Gallery.

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

Artists Nairy Baghramian and Jacolby Satterwhite were selected for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Fall 2023 facade and Great Hall commissions. Baghramian will produce works for the museum’s facade niches and Satterwhite will create a multi-media installation and performance series for the Great Hall.

The Guggenheim Foundation announced the 171 recipients of its 2023 fellowships. A list can be found here.

SaraNoa Mark, Nyeema Morgan, and Julia Phillips are the recipients of the 2023 Chicago Artadia Awards. Read more at Hyperallergic.

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