The Rise of Historically Marginalized Contemporary Artists, 2014-2024

UK-based Sonia Boyce, Lubaina Himid, Claudette Johnson, Ingrid Pollard, Veronica Ryan, Barbara Walker; US-based Emma Amos, Barbara Chase-Riboud, Howardena Pindell, Faith Ringgold, Betye Saar, Joyce J. Scott: all have had long careers in which, until relatively recently and to varying degrees, they struggled for mainstream recognition. However, in the decade that began with Michael Brown’s death and Black Lives Matter protests, and ended with President Trump’s inauguration, they became the subject of much curatorial and scholarly attention. These artists are all British and American women of African descent, but there are other formerly marginalized artists lately recognized with high-profile exhibitions and publications. While the British and American activities signaled a marked shift, it was arguably a global phenomenon.

Is the artists’ approbation within a biased (e.g. racist, sexist, etc.) art world virtue signaling? Or does it amount to sustainably proportional representation? How can we respond to the increased visibility and recognition for historically marginalized contemporary artists? How might we use this opportunity to remake how contemporary art is interpreted, valued, and disseminated?

Possible paper topics include:

• Ways of restituting artists’ entire careers within art historical discourse when professional recognition comes late
• Newer definitions of “contemporary artist,” e.g. collaborative artists’ groups; artists with built-in creative relationships with community; artists who favor forms of remuneration other than money; art activism
• Acts of curatorial activism resulting in sustainable change
• Art history’s responses and responsibilities regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion, e.g. deconstructing/reconstructing canons
• Disruptive publications as counter-discourse to canonical journals or other publishing models