| The 1970's, New York |
| Although the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s signaled the greatest advancements of African American Visual art in history, black women artists were under represented at the movement. And while individual artists such as Elizabeth Catlett, Fatih Ringgold, Camille Billops, Inge Hardison, Lois Mailou Jones, and Betty Saar were gaining national level, the majority of working black women artist in New York were not exhibited in either major or balck-owned galleries*. It was not until the spring if 1971 that Black women artist, as a whole, began to finally make a breakthrough. |
| The Emergence of Black Women Artists |
| The success of female black artists quickly spread throughout New York. One artist, Nigel Jackson featured an exhibition at the Acts of Art Gallery in Greenwich Village on works of black artists. The exhibition was in opposed to the Whitney Museum, who (also) presented a hastily put together show of art of contemporary black artists out of the growing popularity from the public. Jackson felt that the Whitney was not doing a �sincere recognition of their artistic talent*�. This experience that set the precedent in the art world prompted Jackson to become not just an artist, but also an art gallery director. In 1971, Jackson presented an exhibition of the work of 14 black women called �Where We At Black Women Artists� which was to be the first group show of professional black women artist in history. The show became extremely popular throughout the city of New York. �Inspired by this success, the artists decided to form an artist collective, retaining the title�as the groups name: the Where We At� Black Women Artists, Inc. (W. W. A.)*.� |
| Zelda Beckford AFAM 398.01 April 30, 2002 |
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| Brown, Kay. The Emergence of black women artist:1970s, New York. International Review of African American Art.V. 15 No. 1 (1998) 45-52. |
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