Artsy is celebrating Black History Month with special programming highlighting Black artists whose work offers formative contributions to the future of contemporary art. The initiative features a national campaign in partnership with OUTFRONT Media, an online auction for the benefit of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), and a series of online exhibitions and other happenings that shine a light on Black creators and figures from the art world.
Live on Artsy’s website through February 25, the benefit sale will includes work byfeatured artists like Omar Victor Diop, Jessie Homer French, Takashi Murakami, Purvis Young, Anna Sew Hoy, Hayal Pozanti, and Liz Magic Laser. Eighty percent of funds raised from the donated artworks will go directly to the non-profit Equal Justice Initiative, whose mission is to put a stop to mass incarceration and excessive punishment. Concurrently, the remaining twenty percent of profits will be returned to the collaborating galleries, including spaces like Kavi Gupta, Nara Roesler, Gavlak, and Various Small Fires.
Hayal Pozanti, “23 (YUNU),” 2020, courtesy of Jessica Silverman Gallery, San Francisco.
Titled “Artsy Spotlight: Portrayals of Black Joy by Today’s Emerging Artists,” the accompanying public campaign features the work of artists like Derrick Adams, Kay Hickman, Dominic Chambers, and Sola Olulode displayed in transit systems across major metropolitan cities. The platform will also present an inspiring spotlight of Black collectors and gallerists throughout the month, as well as weekly group shows presented online—like “Textured Histories: From Weaving to Collage,” curated by Adeola Gay, and “Portrayals of Black Community,” which focuses on misrepresentations of Black identity.
“At Artsy, we continue to prioritize our efforts to broaden and democratize the art world, leveraging our marketplace to champion the voices of Black, marginalized, and minority artists,” said Everette Taylor, CMO of Artsy. “Through our Black History Month programming, we aim to promote not only a more diverse and inclusive art world but celebrate Black culture and their important contributions to society.”
Omar Victor Diop, “Khady,” 2011, courtesy of Magnin-A Gallery, Paris.
