Updates in Black Art provides the latest news and progress in the art world and related cultural spheres
Ingrid Pollard shares her thoughts on her work and winning the prestigious 2024 Hasselblad Award. Initially skeptical, Pollard eventually embraced the recognition and saw it as an opportunity to expand her projects and support emerging photographers. | Video by Hasselblad Foundation
ACCOLADES & AWARDS
Ingrid Pollard Wins Hasselblad Photography Award
The esteemed Hasselblad Foundation declared British photographer Ingrid Pollard as the laureate of the 2024 Hasselblad Award, among the most distinguished photography accolades globally. The award comprises a cash prize of SEK 2,000,000 (almost US $200,000), a gold medal, and a Hasselblad camera. Pollard is renowned for her utilization of photography to challenge entrenched social and cultural norms surrounding race, identity, community, and gender. Her work exposes subtle and blatant injustices through her exploration of the British landscape, iconography, and identity, while also pushing the boundaries of photography as a medium and its historical context. In 2022, Pollard was shortlisted for the Turner Prize. Originally from Guyana, raised in London, and currently residing in Northumberland, Northeast England, Pollard will be feted at an event on October 11 in Gothenburg, Sweden. An exhibition showcasing her work will debut on the same day at the Hasselblad Center, accompanied by a new publication. (3/8) | More
Amina Agueznay Wins South African Art Prize
Norval Foundation and The Sovereign Art Foundation (SAF) announced Amina Agueznay as the grand award recipient of the 2024 Norval Sovereign African Art Prize. Expressing her gratitude, the Moroccan-born multi-media artist, who holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Catholic University in Washington, D.C., will have her work displayed until May 12, alongside the creations of other finalists, in a collective exhibit at the Norval Foundation in Cape Town, South Africa. The prize encompasses a $35,000 cash award and the chance to present a solo exhibition at the Norval Foundation. (2/19) | CNN
ALBERTA WHITTLE, “Genealogies of Chosen Family (Sekai Machache),” 2024 (acrylic with water from the Osun River, Nigeria, on linen, painted wooden frame with fretwork, 68 7/8 x 62 1/2 x 2 3/8 inches / 174.9 x 158.8 x 6 cm). | © Alberta Whittle, Courtesy the artist and Regen Projects
REPRESENTATION
Alberta Whittle Joins Regen Projects
Regen Projects, located in Los Angeles, has welcomed Alberta Whittle to its roster of artists. Whittle’s diverse practice is driven by the pursuit of self-compassion and collective care as key tools in combating anti-Blackness. Her work spans sculpture, drawing, digital collage, film, performance, and writing. The exhibition “Alberta Whittle: Learning a new punctuation for hope in times of disaster,” her first showcase with the gallery, premiered on March 16. The presentation includes “Lagareh – The Last Born” (2022), a single-channel video, alongside a series of paintings and sculptures. Initially from Barbados and currently based in Glasgow, Scotland, Whittle represented Scotland at the 59th Venice Biennale in 2022. (2/14)| More
Mendes Wood Represents Julien Creuzet
Ingrid Pollard Honored with Hasselblad Photography Award
Mendes Wood DM gallery recently welcomed French artist and poet Julien Creuzet to its roster. Creuzet, known for his exploration of diasporic experiences through sculpture, installations, and textual interventions, will showcase his work at the upcoming 60th Venice Biennale as France’s representative. Inspired by Aimé Césaire and Édouard Glissant, Creuzet delves into the complexities of creolization and migration, particularly focusing on Martinique’s history and European modernity. His solo exhibition at Mendes Wood in Brussels is scheduled for 2025, in addition to collaborations with Andrew Kreps Gallery in New York and Document Space in Chicago.
Coco Fusco, a Cuban-American artist based in New York, has also joined Mendes Wood DM, bringing her three-decade-long career centered on race, colonialism, identity, and societal structures. Fusco’s retrospective exhibition, “Tomorrow, I Will Become an Island,” showcased at the KW Institute of Contemporary Art in Berlin and set to travel to MACBA in Barcelona in 2025, captures the essence of her multidisciplinary practice. Additionally, her video installation “Coco Fusco: Your Eyes Will Be an Empty Word” is currently on display at Cal State Fullerton’s Grand Central Art Center in California.
APPOINTMENTS
Vedet Coleman-Robinson Appointed as President and CEO of the Association of African American Museums, supporting African and African American art, history, and culture professionals. Coleman-Robinson, previously engaged with the National Park Service, will lead the organization’s operations.
The Heckscher Museum of Art in Huntington, N.Y., welcomed Evan Waddy-Farr as the new Director of Operations and Strategic Initiatives. With a background in nonprofit operations, development, and education, Waddy-Farr is dedicated to enhancing the museum’s initiatives and fostering community engagement.
DESIGN
Chef Eric Adjepong Collaborates with Crate & Barrel on a vibrant 60-piece collection, drawing inspiration from his Ghanaian roots and the dynamic cityscape of New York. The assortment includes cookware, serveware, glassware, textiles, and decor elements, reflecting Adjepong’s culinary expertise and cultural heritage.
Nigerian Chef Kwame Onwuachi to Showcase African Tabletop Designs
Kwame Onwuachi, a renowned Nigerian chef, will soon be bringing a collection of African tabletop designs to the market. Born and raised in Nigeria, Onwuachi’s selections feature a variety of unique items, including a large-sized ridged wood mortar and pestle (asanka), jewel-toned organic-shaped dinnerware, and metal trivets shaped as a Sankofa bird and the Nea Onnim symbol.
Onwuachi, known for his participation in Top Chef season 16, has made regular appearances on the Food Network. He has competed on shows like “Tournament of Champions,” hosted “Alex vs. America,” co-starred on “Beachside Brawl,” and recently launched a new show called “Wildcard Kitchen.” He is also the author of the children’s book “Sankofa: A Culinary Story of Resilience and Belonging,” with his first cookbook set to be released soon.
FILM
Film Directors Purchase Westwood Movie Theater
A group of 36 diverse film directors, including Gina Prince-Bythewood, Steven Spielberg, and Bradley Cooper, recently acquired a historic Los Angeles movie theater. The Village Theater in Westwood village has been a venue for numerous premieres since it first opened its doors in 1931. Concerned about the decline of the big-screen movie experience, the directors decided to save the landmark by preventing its potential demolition and replacement with new developments. The group, which includes directors like Rian Johnson, Guillermo Del Toro, and Christopher Nolan, plans to showcase a mix of first-run films and curated programming while renovating the theater to incorporate a restaurant, bar, and gallery.
Travis Kelce Co-Produces Basquiat Documentary
NFL star Travis Kelce, known as a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, is venturing into the film industry as a producer. He is involved in the production of a feature documentary titled “Jean-Michel Basquiat: King Pleasure,” which explores the works of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. This project marks Kelce’s second film venture following his executive producer role in “My Dead Friend Zoe.”
MORE NEWS
Oprah Winfrey Donates WeightWatchers Stock to Smithsonian Museum
Media mogul Oprah Winfrey announced her decision to step down from the board of directors of WeightWatchers International and donate her WW shares to the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. Winfrey, who held a significant stake in the company, plans to continue collaborating with WeightWatchers and contribute the proceeds from any future stock options exercises to the museum.
