Jesse James
Back in 2008, the Rubell Family Collection in Miami hosted the premiere of “30 Americans.” Now the exhibition is heading to Philadelphia’s Barnes Foundation. The exhibit includes over 80 works by 30 African American artists. These include the likes of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kehinde Wiley, Kara Walker, and Kerry James Marshall. These works of art explore dialogue surrounding race, history, and identity that make up contemporary America. The show has traveled the country for a decade in different iterations. Transforming the way African American art has been received. Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw, curator of “30 Americans” at the Barnes, spoke about the collection and the upcoming exhibit.
She stated: “‘30 Americans’ has been, without question, this century’s most impactful exhibition of work by contemporary artists of African descent”. She added, “More than simply an exhibition, it is a cultural phenomenon that has helped catapult the nascent careers of a number of the included artists, while also influencing and encouraging other artists and collectors across the country to pursue their individual visions.”
Across sixteen cities, the exhibition continues to be rethought and reinstalled at every location it arrives at. This is based on the judgment of the curatorial team and spatial limitations of the institution. The same 30 artists remain the same; the art can change. The Philadelphia showcase will mark the first time many of these works will be seen in the city.
Take a look at a few select works from “30 Americans” in the gallery above. Look for the exhibition on display at the Barnes Foundation from October 27th, 2019, to January 12th, 2020. Find out more from the Barnes Foundation and keep it locked with The Culture Curators for more art and design coming soon.
Photos via Rubell Family Collection, Miami
