Magnetic Fields

View of the museum from outside showing the Neoclassical building from one corner. The building is a tan-colored stone with an arched doorway, long vertical windows, and detailed molding around the roof.
Back to all blog posts

Wonderful Words: Exploring Abstraction through Poetry

Posted: January 19, 2018
Category: Magnetic Fields
On Saturday, December 9, D.C.-based poet Danielle Badra led Firsthand Experience: Responsive Poetry at the museum. The day started with an exquisite corpse group activity: Using artworks as prompts, each...
An installation view of several abstract artworks hung on a gallery wall.

Artist Spotlight: Betty Blayton

Posted: January 19, 2018
Category: Magnetic Fields
Magnetic Fields: Expanding American Abstraction, 1960s to Today places abstract works by multiple generations of black women artists in context with one another—and within the larger history of abstract art—for...
A medium-skinned woman stands before a colorful, abstract painting. She is wearing glasses and a white v-neck sweater, and she is smiling at the camera.

Artist Spotlight: Howardena Pindell

Posted: January 18, 2018
Category: Magnetic Fields
Magnetic Fields: Expanding American Abstraction, 1960s to Today places abstract works by multiple generations of black women artists in context with one another—and within the larger history of abstract art—for...
An installation photograph of a two artworks hanging next to each other on a white wall. The artwork on the right is a large round-shaped abstract form that has an organic quality. It is white, with speckles, and has a rough texture to it, evoking the texture of sand.

Artist Spotlight: Mavis Pusey

Posted: January 18, 2018
Category: Magnetic Fields
Magnetic Fields: Expanding American Abstraction, 1960s to Today places abstract works by multiple generations of black women artists in context with one another—and within the larger history of abstract art—for...
A group of women with a dark medium skin tone are standing in a gallery looking at a large abstract painting and gesturing towards it, discussing the painting. The women look very interested and are having a lively conversation. The painting is a large abstract painting featuring geometric shapes in red, brown, and black.

Artist Spotlight: Lilian Thomas Burwell

Posted: January 17, 2018
Category: Magnetic Fields
Magnetic Fields: Expanding American Abstraction, 1960s to Today places abstract works by multiple generations of black women artists in context with one another—and within the larger history of abstract art—for...
A woman with medium-dark skin is standing before an artwork hanging on a white wall. The artwork is a triangular, organic, sculptural piece in red and yellow tones.

Artist Spotlight: Deborah Dancy

Posted: January 16, 2018
Category: Magnetic Fields
Magnetic Fields: Expanding American Abstraction, 1960s to Today places abstract works by multiple generations of black women artists in context with one another—and within the larger history of abstract art—for...
An installation shot of a room with white walls and a large, abstract painting hanging on one of the walls on the right. The large painting is comprised of colorful brushstrokes against a dark gray background.

Artist Spotlight: Brenna Youngblood

Posted: January 11, 2018
Category: Magnetic Fields
Magnetic Fields: Expanding American Abstraction, 1960s to Today places abstract works by multiple generations of black women artists in context with one another—and within the larger history of abstract art—for...
A person in a knitted pink hat in the shape of cat ears is photographed looking at a painting from behind. A mixed media piece featuring colorful, vibrant speckles of color resembling flower buds sprinkled on a gray canvas. They gray canvas has a watercolor texture, and a fence is outlined. The notion of a prison cell comes to mind, as well as hope in the form of color and flowers.

Artist Spotlight: Abigail DeVille

Posted: January 10, 2018
Category: Magnetic Fields
Magnetic Fields: Expanding American Abstraction, 1960s to Today places abstract works by multiple generations of black women artists in context with one another—and within the larger history of abstract art—for...
An installation shot of a gallery shows several art pieces in the room. On the left, there is a sculpture made from black rubber tires sits on a. The black rubber tires are shaped and distorted in way that they create an organic form, resembling an insect or an alien-like figure.

Artist Spotlight: Evangeline “EJ” Montgomery

Posted: January 10, 2018
Category: Magnetic Fields
Magnetic Fields: Expanding American Abstraction, 1960s to Today places abstract works by multiple generations of black women artists in context with one another—and within the larger history of abstract art—for...
A woman with medium-dark skin and short, gray hair sits before a yellow and white painting. She wears a black shirt with rhinestones and looks slightly to her right, smiling into the distance.

Artist Spotlight: Chakaia Booker

Posted: December 31, 2017
Category: Magnetic Fields
Magnetic Fields: Expanding American Abstraction, 1960s to Today places abstract works by multiple generations of black women artists in context with one another—and within the larger history of abstract art—for...
An installation shot of a gallery shows several art pieces in the room. On the left, there is a sculpture made from black rubber tires sits on a. The black rubber tires are shaped and distorted in way that they create an organic form, resembling an insect or an alien-like figure.