Over the last two decades, American artist Simone Leigh (b. 1967, Chicago) has established herself as a vital voice in contemporary art. Known for a multi-faceted body of work that includes sculpture, video, and installation, she is informed by her ongoing exploration of Black womanhood and often draws inspiration from African and African diasporic traditions.
Invited by the Art Institute to organize an installation that reflects her interests and influences, Leigh selected a wide range of artworks from the museum’s permanent collections of African Art and Modern and Contemporary Art.
Join us for this gallery conversation to take an in-depth look at the artist-curated installation. Together we’ll consider what Leigh’s juxtapositions of lesser known African artworks and 19th- and 20th-century paintings, sculptures, and videos from Europe and the U.S. reveal about Leigh’s work as well as about museums and the study of art.
