Summer 2020 was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, an economic recession, and racial justice uprisings. Amid this relentless news cycle, we pause to look back on some of the noteworthy stories and events that marked the summer months—remembering, celebrating, and amplifying the women artists who remain our guiding lights.
The New York Times profiles Faith Ringgold at age 89, looking back on her prolific career as an artist/activist and the inspiration she finds in the current Black Lives Matter movement.
Luchita Hurtado, whose vibrant paintings “emphasized the interconnectedness of all living things,” has died at age 99. The Guardian, the Washington Post, Artsy, and Artnet all remember the artist.
The New York Times shares the struggle and perseverance of Karen Abeita, Dyani White Hawk, Theresa Secord, Carly Tex, and Keri Ataumbi, among other Native American artists, as they grapple with the devastating impacts of COVID-19.
Yesomi Umolu, artistic director of the 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial, explores what museums must internalize before moving forward with equity work.
The Guardian features María Berrío and her surreal collages that address social issues, including gender equity in the arts: “It’s my responsibility to shine the light on other Latina women who haven’t had this possibility.”
Artnet reports on a new grant from the New York nonprofit Queer|Art in support of the work of Black trans women artists; Thelma Golden and Juliana Huxtable are among the judges.
The National Gallery in London announces that their Artemisia Gentileschi retrospective will display, for the first time, the original transcript of the 1612 trial in which she accused Agostino Tassi of rape.
The Great Women Artists podcast asks Turner Prize winner Lubaina Himid about her work as an artist, curator, and participant in the Black Arts Movement of the 1980s.
The Guardian interviews Jaune Quick-to-See Smith about becoming the first Native American artist to have a painting purchased by the National Gallery of Art.
The New York Times Style Magazine reviews the life, work, and legacy of Ruth Asawa, “who, despite persecution, made her mark.” Her art is featured on commemorative postage stamps released in August.
The Guardian interviews former U.S. poet laureate Natasha Trethewey about her latest work, Memorial Drive: A Daughter’s Memoir; Elle publishes an excerpt.
Visual artist Grace Lynne Hayes debuts a new portrait, Sojourner Truth, Founding Mother, for the New Yorker. A reimagining of the abolitionist’s archival photograph, the painting is an homage to Truth on the centennial of the women’s suffrage movement.
The Atlantic profiles Gayl Jones, “the best American novelist whose name you might not know,” who recently self-published her first novel in 21 years.
Fay Chew Matsuda, a curator who “preserved the heritage of overlooked generations of Chinese immigrants,” has died at age 71.
The New York Times Style Magazine profiles “15 Creative Women for Our Time,” including photographer Amber Pinkerton, artist and filmmaker Ja’Tovia Gary, and artists Aiko Hachisuka, Juliana Huxtable, and Sonya Clark.