Reflecting on "Revelations: Art from the African American South"

Working on Revelations: Art from the African American South at the de Young Museum has, without a doubt, been the highlight of my museum career thus far. I am thrilled that the major acquisition behind this exhibition has been named one of The Art Newspaper's top ten museum acquisitions of 2017. 

The acquisition also made the shortlist for Acquisition of the Year in Apollo – The International Art Magazine, and was named "Best Museum Show" of 2017 by the Bay Area Reporter.

Thank you to Sura Wood for your words: "Revelations: Art from the African American South" at the de Young, a truly outstanding, long-overdue exhibition that addressed race, class, gender and religion from a vantage point absent from most museum collections, simultaneously filled a void in the annals of contemporary art, and reminded audiences of what they've been missing. It has been a long time since this many original, gut-wrenching works have been gathered in one place."

Please come see this important exhibition, which is on view at the de Young Museum in San Francisco through April 1, 2018.

Ralph Griffin (1925–1992), Noah's Ark, ca. 1980. Found wood, nails, paint, 18 3/4 x 69 x 14 1/2 in. (47.6 x 175.3 x 36.8 cm). Museum purchase, and gift of the Souls Grown Deep Foundation from the William S. Arnett Collection 2017.1.17. Photographed by Steve Pitkin.