What does it mean to be a black revolutionary artist? New exhibit on Elizabeth Catlett explores the intersection of art and activism.
A new exhibit featuring the work of artist Elizabeth Catlett opened at the Brooklyn Museum recently, in collaboration with the National Gallery of Art. Throughout its history, the Brooklyn Museum has shone a light on the various ways in which art can be used as a force for social change, and their upcoming exhibit on Elizabeth Catlett embodies this mission completely.
Featuring over 150 works of art, the exhibit will be the most complete and extensive presentation on Elizabeth Catlett in the United States to date. Born in 1915 and living through pivotal moments in American history such as the Great Depression and the Civil Rights Movement, Catlett’s art explores themes such as wealth disparity, race and gender.
The title of the exhibit, Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary Artist and All That It Implies, actually comes from a speech Catlett gave in 1970. “I have been, and am currently, and always hope to be a Black Revolutionary Artist and all that it implies” said Catlett in reference to her political activism in Mexico and exile from the United States at the time.
What makes Catlett’s art unique is her ability to draw from an array of cultural influences and utilize multiple art mediums. As a black woman, Catlett’s art combines inspirations from American art movements and traditional African art. In 1946, Catlett received a fellowship to pursue her interests in printmaking at Taller de Gráfica Popular in Mexico City. It was here in Mexico where she fell in love, had children and spent a majority of her lifetime. Her time in Mexico is another major influence on her art and subject matter as she was inspired to engage politically with events such as the Mexican Revolution. Catlett also adopted Mexican art influences and was able to meet other prominent Mexican artists of the time such as Frida Kahlo.
The viewing is organized in a chronological and thematic manner, allowing museum goers to understand the evolution of Catlett’s art and her unwavering commitment to various social justice causes during her lifetime. Throughout the exhibit you will find sculptures of varying materials, paintings, photographs, prints and more. Though similar artistic styles are present throughout her work such as abstraction and modernism, each of her pieces brings something different to the table.
The exhibit beautifully blends past and present. One section of the exhibit explores the artist’s ancestral roots as a descendant of former slaves, allowing museum goers to understand the history she comes from. Heads carved from materials such as polychromed mahogany and black marble seem to take inspiration from traditional African masks often worn during various ceremonies and rituals. Another section explores her commitment to transnational politics, art that can speak to the present day as it embodies themes of solidarity, mobilization and commitment to change. Widely recognized symbols, such as the closed fist, appear throughout the exhibit. By creating these symbols in her art, Catlett is simply yet effectively conveying messages of unity with the fight for Black liberation.
In her work, there is also a universal aspect despite the fact that she is creating and speaking from her own personal experiences. For instance, one section of the exhibit is called “Motherhood and Family”, themes central to the human experience. In the section titled “The Black Woman Speaks”, Catlett depicts black women in various everyday instances such as singing and finding comfort in one another. There are even multiple depictions of women merely sitting down. In these pieces of art it is through the subject’s body language, such as posture and facial expressions, that Catlett shows the truest and most raw emotions. It is in these moments of intimacy and normalcy that she is truly able to show all.
“In honoring Elizabeth Catlett’s legacy, we hope that her work will resonate as a poignant reminder of art’s power to ignite change and unite communities in the ongoing struggle for equality and liberation. A Black revolutionary artist, Catlett made real, material sacrifices—including nine years of political exile—to speak truth to power and to make art for all.” says Dalila Scruggs, an Augusta Savage Curator of African American Art at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary Artist and All That It Implies is on view at the Brooklyn Museum until January 19, 2025. All images courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum.
