DMV Color

Open book features photograph of a child with medium-brown skin on the left side of the fold and the words "LIFE LIFE LIFE" filling the page on the right.
Nov 04, 2019, to Mar 04, 2020

Washington, D.C., and its surroundings have long been home to a rich community of artists of color, including those born and raised here and others who built connections to the region while attending area art schools and universities. DMV Color features an eclectic assortment of contemporary works by women of African American, Asian American, and Latina heritage with ties to the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia—known locally as the DMV. The artists’ books, graphic novels, photobooks, and zines depict intimacies of family life, legacies of enslavement, dislocation tied to immigration, changes resulting from rampant development, and other topics that illustrate facets of life in the DMV.

Featured artists: Sabrina Barekzai, Elizabeth Catlett, Suzanne Coley, Magdalena Cordero, Ibe’ Crawley, Jamila Zahra Felton, Malaka Mercene Gharib, Robin Ha, Loïs Mailou Jones, Jihae Kwon, Sarah Matthews, María Veroníca San Martín, Gail Shaw-Clemons, Julie Sheah, Clarissa T. Sligh, Renée Stout, Ruth Tam, Carolyn Toye, and Jennifer White-Johnson.

The center pages of a book are divided into three sections: solid red, yellow and pink flowers with green leaves and stems on a blue background, and vertical blue and green stripes. On the red fabric is a portion of a person’s face printed in black and a beaded black flower.

Suzanne Coley, All I Have, 2018; Artist’s book; Courtesy of the artist; On loan from Private collection; Photo by Emily Shaw, Courtesy of Betty Boyd Dettre Library & Research Center.

Exhibition Gallery

Four leaves of an open book depict mountain ranges. One image shows snow-capped mountains in blue, black and white; the other image depicts a low mountain in desert colors of beige, brown and yellow with a stream in the foreground.
Magdalena Cordero, Poems by Gabriela Mistral, Translations by Ursula K. Le Guin, Long Chilean Gaia, 2016; Artist’s book; Photo by Emily Shaw, Courtesy of Betty Boyd Dettre Library & Research Center.
The center pages of a book are divided into three sections: solid red, yellow and pink flowers with green leaves and stems on a blue background, and vertical blue and green stripes. On the red fabric is a portion of a person’s face printed in black and a beaded black flower.
Suzanne Coley, All I Have, 2018; Artist’s book; Courtesy of the artist; On loan from Private collection; Photo by Emily Shaw, Courtesy of Betty Boyd Dettre Library & Research Center.
Open book features photograph of a child with medium-brown skin on the left side of the fold and the words "LIFE LIFE LIFE" filling the page on the right.
Jennifer White-Johnson with Kevin T. Johnson, Knox Rox, 2018; Artist’s book; Published by Homie House Press; Courtesy of the artist; Photo by Emily Shaw, Betty Boyd Dettre Library & Research Center, National Museum of Women in the Arts
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The Artist,

Elizabeth Catlett

Sculptor and printmaker Elizabeth Catlett used her art to advocate for social change in both the U.S. and her adopted country of Mexico for almost three-quarters of a century.
A medium skin-toned older woman with short gray hair smiles at the viewer. She wears clear-framed glasses and a black, floral patterned shirt.

The Artist,

Loïs Mailou Jones

In a career spanning more than 70 years, Loïs Mailou Jones overcame racial and gender prejudices to become a successful and influential painter, designer, and educator.
Black-and-white photograph of a smiling medium-skinned older woman with white curly hair. She wears a patterned blouse and necklace with figure pendant. She holds brushes in her left hand and rests her right hand on her hip. Behind her is a painting with a figure and shapes.

The Artist,

Renée Stout

Renée Stout is a Washington, D.C., artist whose paintings and sculptures have earned her international recognition.
" A black-and-white photograph of Renee Stout. With medium-brown skin and thick dreadlocks, and clad in a dark jacket, she looks away from the camera as she leans against a wall. Her figure casts a looming shadow against the wall."

Related Media

Online Exhibition

This online exhibition provides an immersive look at the themes and many works from the exhibition, with select audio contributions from the artists discussing their work.
View Online Exhibition
Open book features photograph of a child with medium-brown skin on the left side of the fold and the words "LIFE LIFE LIFE" filling the page on the right.