If you’re anything like us, you’ve been stuck inside scrolling in lieu of visiting a museum or gallery while things near us are still shut down. Since none of us seem to be headed to a museum or gallery anytime soon, here is a short list of a few social media accounts we’ve been following to get our art fix that we wanted to share.
Alayo Akinkugbe’s account @ablackhistoryofart seeks to put the spotlight on Black artists past and present. As the “formal” art history canon has been notoriously western and white for so long, this is a must-follow account that gives Black “artists, sitters, curators, and thinkers” the spotlight they deserve. A university student at Cambridge, Akinkugbe will also feature updates on current UK exhibitions, so following this account is a great way to stay updated on shows that you can’t go to in person.
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Henry Ossawa Tanner 1.‘The Banjo Lesson’ (1893) 2.‘The Thankful Poor’ (1894) 3.‘The Arch’ (c.1914) These paintings were created by Henry Ossawa Tanner, recognised as the first African American artist to gain celebrity and international acclaim. He trained at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, being the only black student when he enrolled in 1879, and the Académie Julian in Paris in 1891, settling in France for most of his life because of the reduced levels of racial prejudice compared to the United States. Tanner assimilated into Parisian art circles more easily than in the US for this reason, even exhibiting at the 1896 Salon. 🌟 • The Banjo Lesson, his most famous work, was based on staged drawings and photographs of an elderly Black man teaching his grandson to play the banjo. His work has been described as a synthesis of American and French Realism with the Old Master tradition, taking influence from Courbet and Millet’s portrayals of everyday life for the rural working class. 💡💡 • The first two paintings were created on his 1893 trip from France back to the US, after which he quickly returned; he is quoted as having stated ‘In America, I’m Henry Tanner, Negro artist, but in France, I’m ‘Monsieur Tanner, l’artiste américain.‘ 🤎 • Link to an interesting @smarthistory_official article on Tanner’s style in my story!
A post shared by Alayo Akinkugbe (@ablackhistoryofart) on Jul 18, 2020 at 2:14pm PDT
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@vampire_weakend here with a simple message: take a moment to sit with @fireleibaez's "On rest and resistance, Because we love you (to all those stolen from among us)." ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In her own words: "This work is in reference to the 70,000 Black women and girls in the United States currently missing. Who continue to be unnamed and uncared for, even though this should be a national crisis. The figure in this painting is inspired by an archival image of civil rights activist Freedom Riders sleeping in church pews taken by photographer Paul Schutzer circa 1961. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It is a particularly tender inter-generational scene of women resting and supporting each other. In this place of respite, I center the transformative actions that can show ways beyond the spaces in our culture where care, love, and beauty are not naturally and equitably given." —— @vampire_weakend con un mensaje simple: quedate un momento con @fireleibaez’s "Sobre reposo y resistencia, porque los amamos (dedicado a todos los robados de entre nosotrxs).” ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ En sus propias palabras: "Este trabajo hace referencia a las 70,000 mujeres y niñas negras desaparecidas en los Estados Unidos. Quienes continúan desconocidas y descuidadas, a pesar de que esto debería ser una crisis nacional. La figura en esta pintura está inspirada por una imagen de los Freedom Riders durmiendo en bancas de iglesia tomada por el fotógrafo Paul Schutzer alrededor de 1961. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Es una escena intergeneracional particularmente tierna de mujeres descansando y apoyándose mutuamente. En este lugar de descanso, centro las acciones transformadoras que pueden mostrar formas más allá de los espacios en nuestra cultura donde el cuidado, el amor y la belleza no se dan de manera natural y equitativa.”
A post shared by Latinx Art History (@latinx.arthistory) on Aug 10, 2020 at 10:07am PDT
This is a newer account dedicated to “showcasing Latinx artists of the past and present” whose work might be difficult to find in western museums. Though they only have a few posts as of this writing, we can’t wait to follow them as they grow (especially as they’ve already featured Ana Mendieta !). Also, their captions are posted in English and Spanish, which is a huge plus.
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Welcome, friends! 👋 As a group of four young Latinas passionate about art of the past and present, we wanted to create a digital database of Latinx artists who inspire us, but whose work is often hard to find hanging in western museum spaces. Inspired by the incredible work of accounts like @ablackhistoryofart and @thegreatwomenartists we're hoping to join their ranks as an intersectional, accessible resource for folks who are interested in learning a bit more about these often overlooked artists. Have a recommendation for a post? Our DMs are open. We're looking forward to listening and learning alongside you. ❤️ 📸1. #FridaKhalo at her easel. 2. Polaroid of #JeanMichelBasquiat. 3. #AnaMendieta in her 1972 work "Untitled (Facial Hair Transplant)." 4. #BelkisAyón in 1998 with her work, “Perfidia,” which she completed that year. 5. #CarmenHerrera in Paris in the 1940s. ———– ¡Bienvenidos amigxs! 👋 Siendo un grupo de cuatro Latinas jóvenes apasionadas por el arte del pasado y el presente, queríamos crear una página dedicada a los artistas Latinx que nos inspiran, pero cuyo trabajo es difícil de encontrar en una galería o museo occidental. Inspiradas por los increíbles esfuerzos de páginas como @ablackhistoryofart y @thegreatwomenartists, esperamos servir como un recurso interseccional y accesible para los que estén interesados en aprender un poco más sobre estos artistas que a menudo son pasados por alto. ¿Tienes una recomendación para un post? Nuestros DMs están abiertos. Estamos listas para escuchar y aprender junto a ustedes. ❤️ 📸1. Frida Khalo en su caballete. 2. Polaroid de Jean-Michel Basquiat. 3. Anna Mendieta en su trabajo "Sin título (trasplante de vello facial)" 1972. 4. Belkis Ayón en 1998 con su trabajo, "Perfidia", que completó ese año. 5. Carmen Herrera en París en los 1940s.
A post shared by Latinx Art History (@latinx.arthistory) on Aug 3, 2020 at 9:51am PDT
Want a daily dose of art by and for women? #WOMENSART (@womensart1 ) on Twitter is the account for you! From artists working today to past legends, #WOMENSART seeks to share the wide range of art that women have created over time. This account is also active, though significantly less so, on Instagram.
You may not be able to go many places in this time of closures, but following UK-based art historian Isabelle Kent’s account might eliminate your need to. Formerly at the prestigious Wallace Collection, Kent frequently features posts and stories from her journeys as an art historian. She’s featured frequently in art history chats and podcasts, in addition to being active on Twitter and has an easy-to-listen-to lecture up on her YouTube channel . Check out her story highlights for artwork close-ups from her trip(s) to Italy to quench your wanderlust.
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Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Meta Cressey started her studies at the Cleveland School of Art. Later, she moved to New York, where she studied under William Merrit Chase and Frank Dumond. There she met fellow artist Bert Cressey, who she married in 1913. The couple frequently exhibited together and in 1916, they became founding members of the Modern Art Society of Los Angeles. A few years later they purchased a home in Hollywood Hills. The house had a lavish flower garden, which not only won prizes, but also served as the subject for many of Cressey’s paintings. Today, Cressey is considered an early Los Angeles Modernist and is known for her still lifes and bold, colorful gardens. (She also painted flowers on porcelain.) In this work, Cressey portrays what is probably a flower-shop, looking out at an urban landscape of cars and row houses. Based on the architecture, the scene likely depicts New York rather than Los Angeles. Note how Cressey mixes two artistic styles: Impressionism and modernism. Meta Cressey (American, 1882–1964), “Untitled”, late 1920s. Oil on canvas, 40 x 36 in. Crocker Art Museum, gift of Sandra L. Jones. #CrockerArt #CrockerArtMuseum #MuseumFromHome #ArtHistory #ArtOfTheDay #Impressionism #CaliforniaArtist #Modernism #FemaleArtists #WomenArtists #FemaleArtistsInHistory #Flowers
A post shared by Crocker Art Museum (@crockerart) on Aug 10, 2020 at 7:31am PDT
Yes, we like the Crocker ‘s accounts because we’re local. But following your local art museum on social media wherever you are will help you stay abreast of any local events (virtual or in-person in the future) and exhibitions, and help boost their following as well!
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Hung Liu finds the subjects for her paintings in surviving, anonymous photographs of early 20th century China and its people. Photographs — especially personal photos — were considered dangerous when the communist government gained control, and they were targeted for destruction during the ensuing Cultural Revolution. (Most of the photos Hung Liu uses were taken by foreigners.) Hung Liu’s fascination with recovered photographs is strongly influenced by her own experiences of separation, loss, and immigration. Her paintings address the cataclysmic changes wrought on China by politics and forced modernization. Familial relationships and humble activities, such as the shoemaking taking place here, are retrieved as if through veiled remembrance. Old meets new in the juxtaposition of icons of Chinese history — its religious and artistic heritage — with the thin washes of paint that dissolve the family portrayed. While grounded in the Chinese experience, Liu’s paintings ultimately offer a universal meditation on the human condition. A two-time recipient of the painting Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, Liu is a member of the faculty at Mills College in Oakland. Hung Liu (American, born China, 1948), “Shoemakers”, 1999. Oil on canvas, 80 in. x 80 in. Crocker Art Museum, Collectors' Guild Purchase. #CrockerArt #CrockerArtMuseum #ArtOfTheDay #MuseumFromHome #ArtHistory #VirtualMuseum #MuseumAtHome #AsianAmericanArtists #WomenArtists
A post shared by Crocker Art Museum (@crockerart) on Aug 9, 2020 at 7:30am PDT
These are just a small few of the many art and art-historical accounts out there. We’re looking forward to featuring more in the future!
Some of our favorite past accounts we’ve featured on the blog can be found at:
https://www.artdocentprogram.com/insta-art/
https://www.artdocentprogram.com/artlexachung-instagram-account-youll-ever-need/
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