Incollect Magazine Issue 7

20 www.incollect.com HAPPENINGS Black Presence & Absence in the Early American North Representations of Black figures in New England and the Mid- Atlantic from the late 17th through early 19th century are the subject of this exhibition, which comprises approximately 125 works in various media, including needlework, paintings, works on paper, photographs, and other vernacular art forms. To draw attention to the fact that the experiences and contributions of Black figures in the Northeast have often been ignored or minimized, the exhibition also incorporates works that do not feature Black figures, to, as the exhibition press release says, “encourage visitors to consider how this erasure of marginalized voices continues to shape our understanding of the past. "My colleague Emelie Gevalt first spoke about the idea for this show when I interviewed her in 2019. Nearly five years later, I am deeply proud of the groundbreaking work that Emelie, as well as Sadé Ayroinde, RL Watson, the AFAM staff, and a multitude of organizations and individuals have done to make the show a reality. It’s an honor that AFAM can share this scholarship with audiences from our home in New York," says Jason T. Busch, Becky and Bob Alexander Director and CEO. The show draws together loans from three dozen organizations and private collections, including, importantly, a selection from the Burns Collection and Archive of more than 50 early photographic portraits of Black subjects in the Northeast. After the exhibition concludes at the American Folk Art Museum in New York, it travels to Historic Deerfield, where it will be on view from May 1, 2024, to August 4, 2024. Left: William Matthew Prior (1806–1873), Nancy Lawson, Boston, 1843. Oil on canvas.Shelburne Museum, Vermont, museum purchase, acquired from Maxim Karolik, 1959- 265.34. Right: William Matthew Prior (1806–1873), William Lawson, Boston, 1843. Oil on canvas. Shelburne Museum, Vermont, museum purchase, acquired from Maxim Karolik, 1959-265.35. American Folk Art Museum 2 Lincoln Sq., Columbus Ave. at W. 65th St. Through March 24, 2024 For more information visit folkartmuseum.org Unnamed Figures: