Exhibiting Blackness: African Americans and the American Art Museum

by Bridget R. Cooks

In 1927, the Chicago Art Institute presented the first major museum exhibition of art by African Americans. Designed to demonstrate the artists' abilities and to promote racial equality, the exhibition also revealed the art world's anxieties about the participation of African Americans in the exclusive venue of art museums―places where blacks had historically been barred from visiting let alone exhibiting. Since then, America's major art museums have served as crucial locations for African Americans to protest against their exclusion and attest to their contributions in the visual arts.

In Exhibiting Blackness , art historian Bridget R. Cooks analyzes the curatorial strategies, challenges, and critical receptions of the most significant museum exhibitions of African American art. Tracing two dominant methodologies used to exhibit art by African Americans―an ethnographic approach that focuses more on artists than their art, and a recovery narrative aimed at correcting past omissions―Cooks exposes the issues involved in exhibiting cultural difference that continue to challenge art history, historiography, and American museum exhibition practices. By further examining the unequal and often contested relationship between African American artists, curators, and visitors, she provides insight into the complex role of art museums and their accountability to the cultures they represent.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Race, Museums, Art History

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Doria · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this marvelous book, Bridget R. Cooks brilliantly describes and analyzes historically significant exhibitions of African-American artwork at key moments over the last century. She particularly focuses in on curatorial strategies and the multiplicity of responses to these on the part of critics and visitors, all while keeping her readership mindful of the specific context which produced them. One of the case studies which is particularly fascinating is the infamous “Harlem on My Mind” exhibition of 1969 at the Met in New York. The local outcry, activist response and national attention to issues of racial inequality within American museums which resulted in response to this curatorial misstep was one of several crucial elements which led directly to the Boston MFA’s decision to host its first ever exhibition of African-American artwork the following year.

Cooks' scholarship is meticulous, her writing is superb, and her understanding is nuanced and profound. This is necessary reading for anyone in the museum field, and for anyone interested in American art and history.

[Jonathan Frederick Walz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somebody had to write this book and I'm glad it was written, but I found it more disappointing than useful. Typos. Weird first-person incursions. A completely straight-forward outline and implementation; I never felt inspired or much urgency or passion on the author's part. I also felt that there were some factual errors at various junctures (which I would need to research and confirm, so take that with a grain of salt, perhaps). And with all the lip service paid to "substantially changing your dissertation before it becomes a book," this volume should give hope to those despairing: the transition from dissertation to book does not seem that transformative at all. I really wanted to like this book; rats. One last thing: it also hasn't aged well, sadly. Which is strange, perhaps, but so much museum and racial discourse has happened since publication, some of the ideas now seem passé or overstated.

[James G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

very personal scholarship that will resonate with everyone involved in and dedicated to this work.

[Lynn Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never loved a book more... ok maybe equally as much. This book was extremely well written (almost in prose) and researched. Grateful for this work.

[Savannah Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting (read this for class)

[B Lin · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a wonderful source for understanding the complexities within exhibiting black art. I have cited this work in several essays and long overdue for a reread

[Marleene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scholarly and very well researched as well as thought provoking. I felt far more sensitized after my reading - both racially as well as artistically. My main criticism was that the author did not develop a positive proactive agenda for exhibiting "blackness" or adequately define her definition of it. It became somewhat confusing for an open reader.
It definitely seemed that with every discussion in the book, she had a negative critique. I would have appreciated more guidance to balance my reading and to help grow my awareness and approach to viewing art

It also was a historical examination of museum exhibitions and did not address other venues which might have complemented the examination.

[Grace S]

Not my vibe I had to read it for class :)