30 Americans
27 Ocober 2019 - 12 January 2020
Wed-Mon 11am-5pm, closed on Tuesdays
The Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia
Having traveled the country for a decade in various iterations, 30 Americans is a pivotal exhibition that has transformed the reception of African American art across the nation and around the world. The Barnes presentation marks the first time 30 Americans has been shown in the northeastern US since 2011, when it was on view at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. Featuring approximately 60 works of sculpture, painting, drawing, photography, and video, the exhibition presents American experiences as told from the artists’ distinct perspectives.
Exploring complex questions of identity, equity, race, and politics, 30 Americans will take on new resonance within the context of Philadelphia. A racially diverse city steeped in history, Philadelphia is rich with creative culture and a variety of traditions deeply rooted in many of the same journeys explored in the exhibition. This presentation is the first occasion many of these important works will be seen in Philadelphia, a poignant reminder that black artists have historically been excluded from museums and cultural institutions.
exhibited artists:
Nina Chanel Abney
John Bankston
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Mark Bradford
Nick Cave
Robert Colescott
Noah Davis
Leonardo Drew
Renée Green
David Hammons
Barkley L. Hendricks
Rashid Johnson
Glenn Ligon
Kalup Linzy
Kerry James Marshall
Rodney McMillian
Wangechi Mutu
William Pope.L
Rozeal
Gary Simmons
Xaviera Simmons
Lorna Simpson
Shinique Smith
Henry Taylor
Hank Willis Thomas
Mickalene Thomas
Kara Walker
Carrie Mae Weems
Kehinde Wiley
Purvis Young
picture credit: 30 Americans, 2019. The Barnes Foundation, installation view. Image © The Barnes Foundation. Photo by Sean Murray.