9 Black Art Galleries To Check Out That Are Putting The Work Of Black Artists On Full Display

9 Black Art Galleries To Check Out That Are Putting The Work Of Black Artists On Full Display

We are one of the nine featured in this wonderful article in the Blavity News

By   Ida Harris | May 29 2019,     03:17 am

Point ‘Em Out is an editorial series where Ida Harris explores the latest and the greatest in Black art. Thanks to modern-day technology, we get to be virtual consumers of yesterday’s icons and today’s most innovative Black artwork, and — if we’re lucky — the Black geniuses who produce them.

We sing the praises of many visual artists. However, much credit is due to the facilitators of Black art for amplifying the names and works of artists we might not otherwise be familiar with. Black gallerists have pushed African American art, making it accessible and consumable for Black communities long before the social media phenomenon. In the pre-digital era, these art professionals not only provided a visual platform for Black artists, but also packaged and positioned their work to be sold, and they continue to do so today. They broker deals and connect artists with collectors and consumers alike. Thus, Black gallerists have established a viable market for Afro art when white art spaces made little room.

Even now, as the dominant market pays a bit more attention to Black art, only a few seats exist for Black artists, particularly when it comes to sales. In 2016, Artnet analyzed how African American artists fare at auctions. Though Black art sales at auctions are increasing, “of the contemporary American artists selling for over a million dollars at auction, a mere one-tenth are black,” and out of the “top 100 artists by volume,” Kara Walker, Ellen Gallagher and Mickalene Thomas were the only Black women. These disappointing statistics show that Black gallerists are still necessary to stimulate the creative economy for Black art, and this is all the more reason why the community should patronize Black gallerists and support their efforts. In an attempt to point ’em out, here are nine Black galleries that are putting in work for Black artists across the country.

7. Mackey Twins Art Gallery

Mackey Twins Art Gallery was born out of a love for art collecting and the lack of representation for Black artists. The business has been a staple in the Mount Vernon, New York, community since 2002, and is one of the leading Black art dealers in the Westchester and New York City areas, particularly during Harlem Fine Arts Festival.

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