The Time is Always Now: Reframing Black Identity Through Art

What does it mean to be Black in today’s world?

This question will resonate through the halls of the Philadelphia Museum of Art when it hosts the U.S. premiere of “The Time is Always Now: Artists Reframe the Black Figure.”

About “The Time is Always Now: Artists Reframe the Black Figure”

After the Dance, 2022, Danielle Joy Mckinney, Acrylic on canvas, 40 × 30 inches (101.6 × 76.2 cm), © Danielle Mckinney. Courtesy of the artist, Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York and Aspen

This groundbreaking exhibition, curated by Ekow Eshun, showcases the work of 26 Black and African diasporic artists, offering a profound exploration of Black identity through figurative painting, drawing, and sculpture.

Inspired by James Baldwin’s call to confront segregation, the exhibition’s title underscores the urgency of today’s artistic discourse on race and identity.

Arriving from London’s National Portrait Gallery, it features renowned artists like Kerry James Marshall and Amy Sherald, alongside emerging talents such as Jonathan Lyndon Chase and Kudzanai-Violet Hwami.

Curator Ekow Eshun emphasizes the exhibition’s aim to illuminate the richness of Black life and provoke contemplation on race and identity.

“I hope viewers will be captivated by the artists’ imaginative scope,” he says, “as they navigate the complexities of Black existence and history through their dazzling artworks.”

The exhibition is divided into three thought-provoking sections.

Double Consciousness, The Persistence of History and Our Aliveness

She was learning to love moments, to love moments for themselves, Amy Sherald, Oil on canvas, 54 1/8 × 43 inches (137.5 × 109.2 cm)

Double Consciousness, a theory first introduced in 1897 by the sociologist W.E.B Du Bois, explores concepts of being, belonging and Blackness as a psychological state.

This section of the exhibition examines these facets through the lens of art.

Works including Amy Sherald’s grayscale portraits, a cast-bronze self-portrait sculpture by Wangechi Mutu, and Nathaniel Mary Quinn’s fragmented portraits examine how artists see themselves, as well as how they are seen and framed by others.

The Persistence of History

Nanny Of The Maroons’ Fifth Act Of Mercy, Kimathi Donkor, Oil on linen, 6 feet 10 11/16 inches × 64 15/16 inches × 1 3/16 inches (210 × 165 × 3 cm)

In this section, artists confront historical absences in mainstream narratives.

Barbara Walker’s reimagined portraits place Black subjects at the center of Western art history, while Kimathi Donkor’s “Notebook of a Return to the Native Land” resurrects forgotten narratives of colonial resistance.

Our Aliveness

Yvonne and James, Jordan Casteel, Oil on canvas, 7 feet 6 inches × 6 feet 6 inches (228.6 × 198.1 cm)

This section celebrates the vitality of Black communal life and captures moments of joy and resilience.

Hurvin Anderson’s evocative paintings of Caribbean barbershops and Jordan Casteel’s vibrant portraits of Harlem street scenes not only celebrate Black sociality, but also confront its complex histories of segregation and resistance.

In a time of ongoing racial reckoning, “The Time is Always Now” offers a crucial platform for dialogue and reflection.

The artworks challenge viewers to confront their own biases and consider the multifaceted nature of Black identity in contemporary society.

Visitor Information

The exhibition runs from November 9, 2024 – February 9, 2025. Visitors can engage with a digital archive of Black portraiture through history, allowing for a deeper understanding of the exhibition’s historical context.

  • Tickets: $30 for adults, $28 for seniors, $14 for students and youth (18-25)
  • Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm; Friday evenings until 8:45pm
  • Special Events: Weekly artist talks and panel discussions

“The Time is Always Now: Artists Reframe the Black Figure” is more than an exhibition; it’s an invitation to engage deeply with powerful narratives and challenging reflections on race, identity, and history.

As we navigate an ever-changing social landscape, these artworks serve as both a mirror and a window, reflecting our present and offering visions of our shared future.

For more information and to book tickets, visit The Philadelphia Museum of Art website.


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