This February, we’re celebrating Black History Month at The Met. But for African Americans such as myself, every month is Black History Month. So we’re taking this opportunity to celebrate the Black art and identities that have been crucial in shaping art history for years—and will continue to shape it for many more to come. Here are just five of the many stories of Black art, culture, and history interwoven throughout The Met collection.
“How do you paint your own slave?” Painter Julie Mehretu analyzes Velázquez
“Looking at his expression I’m moved, almost to tears. That’s not often that a painting can do that.”
People of color are under-represented and under-recognized throughout Western art history, both as subjects and as artists. Rarer even is their appearance in dignified portraiture like that of Diego Velázquez, a seventeenth-century painter known for his depictions of Spanish royalty. Juan de Pareja was Velázquez’s enslaved assistant, and was later liberated to become a great painter in his own right. So—“How do you paint your own slave?” asks contemporary artist Julie Mehretu, and why? In this episode of The Artist Project, Mehretu, whose work challenges sociopolitical constructs of the past and present, helps unpack this painting’s emotional story.
Dancer Omari Mizrahi on Mark Bradford’s painting Duck Walk
Dancer Omari Mizrahi (Ousmane Wiles) received the status of Legend in the House of Mizrahi after ten years competing in the Vogue Ballroom scene in New York City. When asked to respond to Mark Bradford’s 2016 painting Duck Walk, Omari connects the evolution of voguing to the colorful movement in Bradford’s painting: “Voguing is evolving and the ballroom scene is evolving, but we’re trying to keep the history and the traditions alive as much as much as possible, and I think he’s doing that with abstraction.” As Omari spends more time with the work (and dances with it), we see the power in Bradford’s Abstract Expressionism and its connection to motion, performativity, and everyday life.
A poet’s response to Jean-Baptise Carpeaux’s Why Born Enslaved!
“My name, for now, is my body
Soft in flesh but louder in stone.”
In this video, Wendy S. Walters recites the poem she wrote in response to Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux’s 1873 sculpture Why Born Enslaved! The sculpture is one that is undeniably beautiful, and yet deals with the most painful moment in our history. It asks us to condemn the horror that is slavery, and yet this woman’s identity is still anonymous, her body still an object for our consumption. Walters’s poetic words confront this conflict in Why Born Enslaved! and help us imagine how this anonymous woman might have thought and felt.
Scholar David Driskell on Aaron Douglas’s painting Let My People Go
“Can a work of art reclaim history?”
David C. Driskell was a leading scholar of African American art and an artist whose work played a pivotal role in gaining mainstream recognition for the Black art community. His 1976 landmark exhibition,Two Centuries of Black American Art at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, was the first of its kind and paved the way for scholarship on African American art, history, and culture.
In this video, Driskell uplifts the work of Aaron Douglas, a prominent visual artist of the Harlem Renaissance. Douglas’s painting Let My People Go (ca. 1935–39) evokes God’s command to Moses to lead the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt and into freedom, and relates this biblical story to the modern oppression of African Americans. Through Douglas’s painting, Driskell sheds light upon themes of liberation, enlightenment, and empowerment that resonate with the African American experience today.
Dariel Vasquez in “Belonging,” episode 11 of Met Stories
Visiting an institution like The Met—facing its massive staircase and a collection that spans millennia—it’s easy to feel like you don’t belong. Its art tells vast stories of countless cultures, and yet so often fails to tell the stories of people who look like us. This is how Dariel Vasquez, cofounder and executive director of Brothers@, felt even growing up in nearby Harlem. In this episode of Met Stories, Dariel talks about how he was able not only to overcome that feeling, but to fall in love with the art and make the space his own.
There is so much more content to check out and for all ages to enjoy. Head to our YouTube channel and Perspectives for more video and editorial pieces celebrating Black art and identities in conversation with The Met collection.
Editors’ Note: An earlier version of this article misstated that people of color are under-represented throughout art history. The article was corrected on March 5, 2021, to clarify the intended reference to Western art history specifically. The editors regret this error.
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
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Black History Month
Black History Month is an annual observance in the United States, Canada, and other countries that celebrates the achievements and contributions of African Americans to history, culture, and society. It takes place in February in the United States and Canada, while other countries may observe it in different months. The purpose of Black History Month is to recognize and honor the often overlooked or marginalized history of Black people and their impact on various fields, including art, literature, science, politics, and civil rights movements.
Black art
Black art refers to artistic works created by Black artists or that depict the Black experience. It encompasses a wide range of artistic forms, including visual arts (painting, sculpture, photography), performing arts (music, dance, theater), literature, film, and more. Black art often explores themes of identity, history, social justice, and cultural heritage. It has played a significant role in challenging stereotypes, promoting cultural pride, and fostering dialogue about race and inequality.
The Met (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
The Met, short for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is one of the world's largest and most renowned art museums. Located in New York City, it houses a vast collection of artworks spanning various periods, cultures, and artistic disciplines. The Met's collection includes artworks from ancient civilizations, European masterpieces, Asian art, African art, American art, and much more. The museum is committed to showcasing diverse perspectives and has been actively working to include and highlight the contributions of artists from different backgrounds, including Black artists.
Diego Velázquez
Diego Velázquez (1599-1660) was a Spanish painter and one of the most important artists of the Baroque period. He is known for his realistic and masterful portraits, as well as his ability to capture the human expression and emotion in his paintings. Velázquez served as the court painter for King Philip IV of Spain and created numerous portraits of Spanish royalty and nobility. One of his most famous paintings is "Las Meninas," which is considered a masterpiece of Western art.
Julie Mehretu
Julie Mehretu is a contemporary artist known for her large-scale abstract paintings and drawings. Born in Ethiopia in 1970, Mehretu's work explores themes of globalization, architecture, history, and social constructs. She often incorporates layers of lines, shapes, and symbols to create complex and dynamic compositions. In the article, Mehretu is mentioned in relation to her analysis of a painting by Diego Velázquez, where she questions how one can paint their own slave. Her work challenges sociopolitical constructs and aims to provoke thought and discussion.
Mark Bradford
Mark Bradford is a contemporary American artist known for his mixed-media artworks that incorporate elements of painting, collage, and assemblage. Born in 1961 in Los Angeles, Bradford's work often addresses issues of race, class, and urban life. He uses materials such as found objects, paper, and paint to create intricate and layered compositions. In the article, dancer Omari Mizrahi discusses Bradford's painting "Duck Walk" and connects it to the evolution of voguing and the ballroom scene in New York City.
Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux
Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (1827-1875) was a French sculptor and painter associated with the Realist and Romantic movements. He is known for his dynamic and expressive sculptures, which often depict figures in motion. In the article, poet Wendy S. Walters recites a poem she wrote in response to Carpeaux's sculpture "Why Born Enslaved!" The sculpture addresses the painful history of slavery and raises questions about identity, objectification, and the condemnation of slavery.
Aaron Douglas
Aaron Douglas (1899-1979) was an African American artist and a prominent figure of the Harlem Renaissance, a cultural and intellectual movement that took place in the 1920s and 1930s. Douglas's work often incorporated elements of African art and symbolism, and he played a significant role in promoting African American art and culture. In the article, scholar David Driskell discusses Douglas's painting "Let My People Go," which relates the biblical story of Moses leading the Israelites out of captivity to the modern oppression of African Americans.
Dariel Vasquez
Dariel Vasquez is mentioned in the article as the co-founder and executive director of Brothers@, an organization based in Harlem. Vasquez talks about his experience of initially feeling like he didn't belong in institutions like The Met but eventually falling in love with the art and making the space his own. This highlights the importance of representation and inclusivity in art institutions and the need to tell diverse stories.
These are the main concepts mentioned in the article. If you have any specific questions or would like more information on any of these topics, feel free to ask!
