“Make Do and Mend” by Lubaina Himid
Where: The Contemporary Austin, Texas
When: March 1 – July 21
Why It’s Worth a Look: The Zanzibar-born, U.K.-based Himid created two new bodies of work for this Contemporary showing, continuing her project of centering Black figures in depictions of everyday life. Through this work, the artist fleshes out a canon that, in many ways, is still lacking the nuances of her community's daily experiences.
Know Before You Go: Himid was an especially influential figure within the British Black arts movement in the 1980s and describes herself as "a painter, cultural activist, witness, storyteller, and historian."
“Interwoven” by Delcy Morelos
Where: Pulitzer Arts Foundation, St. Louis, Missouri
When: March 8 – August 4
Why It’s Worth a Look: Alongside works created throughout the Colombian artist's storied career, Morelos has crafted a vast, immersive sculpture out of local soil specifically for the Pulitzer's gallery. This will be shown in conversation with additional sculptures, paintings, and installations that help define her journey to honor spiritual and ecological concerns.
Know Before You Go: Based in Bogotá, Morelos frequently repurposes materials of the Earth—fibers, clay, and soil—to dissuade notions of it as territory to merely be owned, both in her home country and in the different locations where she shows her art.
“Spirit in the Land”
Where: Pérez Art Museum Miami, Florida
When: March 21 – September 8
Why It’s Worth a Look: In this exhibition, 30 participating artists examine today’s urgent ecological concerns and how one’s relationship to nature shapes both the individual and their community. In a variety of mediums, artists including Firelei Báez, Barkley L. Hendricks, Wangechi Mutu, and Carrie Mae Weems place those most affected by climate concerns at the center of the conversation.
Know Before You Go: The exhibition features artists from North America and the Caribbean, and has been constructed as a repository for collective memories. The works on display are largely hopeful for a better future.
“It’s Always You” by Sin Wai Kin
Where: Buffalo AKG Museum, New York
When: March 1 – August 19
Why It’s Worth a Look: As a teen, drag performances helped Sin Wai Kin parse through their own nonbinary identity. In this latest exhibition, the artist reflects on the construction of gender through the creation of a fictional boyband. Sin themself plays each part. The Universe, The Storyteller, The One, and Wai King all come alive through elaborate makeup and costuming.
Know Before You Go: The personalities of each band member developed out of Sin’s in-depth study of boyband culture, from the Backstreet Boys era of old to more contemporary groups such as BTS. Throughout the installation, posters, life-size cut-outs, and other true-to-life memorabilia build out the world of the group.
“New Work” by Mary Lovelace O’Neal
Where: SFMoMA, San Francisco, California
When: March 16 – October 20
Why It’s Worth a Look: Lovelace O’Neal, now showing a new collection of work, has been experimenting with materials as disparate as paint, gasoline, and glitter for over six decades. Starting in the 1960s, the artist, who is also included in the 2024 Whitney Biennial, used powdered soot pulled from burning oil, rubbing the substance into the canvas to explore blackness as both a color and experience.
Know Before You Go: Lovelace O’Neal's compositions, which begin with a pitch-black background, take exciting turns with the bold colors layered on top. Of the process, the artist once said, "Painting with color was always a surprise. [It was] like dancing with the paint."
“The New Eagle Creek Saloon” by Sadie Barnette
Where: Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
When: March 7 – May 19
Why It’s Worth a Look: Barnette reconstructs a monument dedicated to Black queer joy and her own family history with a full-scale reimagining of her father’s saloon of the same name, the first Black-owned gay bar in San Francisco. The original location served as a meeting place for marginalized members of the Bay Area community, and Barnette aims to recreate that setting with her installation.
Know Before You Go: Every Thursday, the saloon will host happy hours with specially curated DJ sets, live readings, and performances featuring Twin Cities–based artists. Outside of those events, the bar will remain open as an installation for visitors to explore.
“Year of the Dragon”
Where: Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Connecticut
When: March 15 – November 10
Why It’s Worth a Look: It's the year of the dragon, and the Eastern belief in the creature as a powerful celestial being is highlighted through this presentation of folding screens, paintings, textiles, ceramics, and woodblock prints featuring the mythical creature. The works included pull from Eastern traditions, juxtaposing that powerful vision of the dragon with Western ideas of the beast as fearsome and untrustworthy.
Know Before You Go: The 30 artworks on display, largely drawn from Yale University’s own collection, span from the 17th century to the present day.
"Carmen Herrera: I’m Nobody! Who are you?"
Where: SITE Santa Fe, New Mexico
When: March 1 — September 16
Why It’s Worth a Look: With a practice of over eight decades dedicated to abstract exploration, Herrera’s work is a testament to simplicity and purity in art. Born in Cuba and educated in Havana and Paris, her journey into abstraction was influenced by architectural studies, shaping her geometric style. Herrera’s genius was finally recognised later in life, and this exhibition showcases works created between the ages of 95 and 102. Of the late appreciation, the artist once said, "Being ignored is a form of freedom. I felt liberated from having to constantly please anyone."
Know Before You Go: The title for the exhibition, “I’m Nobody! Who are you?” is inspired by an Emily Dickinson poem to symbolize her perseverance despite being overlooked by the art world.
“Monsen Photography Lecture” by Martine Gutierrez
Where: Henry Art Gallery, Seattle, Washington
When: March 30 — July 28
Why It’s Worth a Look: Drawing from her experiences as a first-generation artist of Indigenous descent, Gutierrez has enacted countless journeys through identity in music videos, billboard campaigns, episodic films, and more. In her series "Body En Thrall," she explores the boundaries of erotic power and the commodification of womanhood in contemporary society, using herself as the subject.
Know Before You Go: The series began in Gutierrez's single-issue magazine, Indigenous Woman, published in 2018. The artist served as her own muse, model, photographer, editor, and art director.
"Double Space: Women Photographers and Surrealism"
Where: New Orleans Museum of Art, Louisiana
When: March 29 — August 4
Why It’s Worth a Look: The New Orleans Museum of Art is exhibiting work by six extraordinary female photographers in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Surrealist Manifesto. Including works by Ilse Bing, Ruth Bernhard, and Lee Miller, among others, this exhibition features double exposures, distorted figures, and the artists’ exploration of where reality merges with dreams.
Know Before You Go: The title of the exhibition, “Double Space,” is a nod to the techniques used by these artists.
