Here are some exhibits we saw during our visit to the Brooklyn Museum. The images below showcase some work from Do-Ho Suh, Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power, and Half the Picture: A Feminist Look at the Collection.
Do-Ho Suh: The Perfect Home II, 2003
After migrating to the Chelsea neighborhood in Manhattan, Do-Ho Suh could be found in the early hours of the morning meticulously measuring his apartment hallway. And his door. And the staircase. 15 years later, we found ourselves walking down the same hallway, looking out of his windows, and examining his bathroom tiles in detail. Except we weren’t actually in Chelsea.
The Perfect Home II, is a full-scale re-creation of his former apartment completely hand-sewn from translucent nylon and held together from thin wire and 600-piece metal frame. Some details included stove coils, light fixtures, door locks, an intercom, and sprinkler systems.
Living somewhat of a nomadic lifestyle as a world renowned artist, Do-Ho is able to carry his home with him anywhere he travels. Here is a great video of Do Ho talking about his newer work, “Rubbing / Loving”.
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Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power
This powerful exhibition showcases 60+ black artists who created figurative and abstract painting, prints, and photography; assemblage and sculpture; and performance art between the years of 1960s–80s.
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Alma Thomas: Mars Dust, 1972
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Ming Smith: When You See Me Comin’ Raise Your Window High, 1972
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Williams T. Williams: Train
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Romare Bearden: Pittsburgh Memory, 1964
Emory Douglas: ‘We Shall Survive without a doubt’, 1971
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I was absolutely blown away by photographer Roy Decarava.
Five Men, 1964
Roy Decarava:Couple Walking, 1979
Roy Decarava:Late night singer with mike, 1960
Other notable artists include:
Merton D. Simpson
Lorraine O’Grady
Barbara-Jones Hogu
Faith Ringgold
Raymond Sanders
Elizabeth Catlett
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Half the Picture: A Feminist Look at the Collection
Named for Gorilla Girls poster, “You’re seeing less than half the picture without the vision of women artists and artists of color”, this exhibit shares over 100 works. Here are just a few of the many great pieces from this collection
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Wendy Red Star: 1880 Crow Peace Delegation series
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Betty Tompkins, Apologia (Artemisia Gentileschi #4), 2018
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Needless to say, visiting the Brooklyn Museum is a no-brainer for visitors and locals. It’s inspiring to see them exhibit art that gives voices to a range of cultures and backgrounds not typically seen in a museum setting.
Check out my photography post to experience some of the other sights we saw while visiting NYC.