Upcoming Exhibition Focuses on Abstractions by Artists of Color

Three new exhibitions open at the Racine Art Museum (RAM) beginning February 9, 2022. One of these exhibitions, RAM Showcase: Abstraction, will feature work by contemporary artists of color that address intellectual, philosophical, and spiritual concepts through abstraction. This show will be on display at the downtown Racine museum through June 11, 2022.

Abstract art—a term that can be applied to work that ranges from non-representational to that with imagery more closely aligned to perceived reality—is considered a product of a modern, so-called Western world. As technological and industrial advances began to greatly impact everyday life, artists in turn began viewing abstraction as a way of addressing more intangible and hypothetical concepts.

In the United States, abstract art strongly gained hold as a visual language in the wake of World War II. Contemporary artists who adopt abstraction as part of their practice often use it to explore intangible ideas and emotions, the nature of materials, and/or formal art elements such as pattern, color, shape, and line.

The RAM Showcase series of exhibitions highlight conversations around the work of artists of color. Some of the artists featured in RAM Showcase: Abstraction—Sam Gilliam in particular—have historically come under fire for preferring abstraction and not addressing contemporary social, political, or cultural issues directly in their work. Gilliam did not want to be pressured by anyone to make a certain kind of work. He felt abstraction could be more powerful than political subject matter. When asked if he, “considered his art black art,” Gilliam answered, “Being black is a very important point of tension and self-discovery. To have a sense of self-acceptance, we blacks have to throw off this dichotomy that has been forced on us by the white experience…I think there is a need to live universally.”

About RAM Showcase Exhibitions
RAM Showcase exhibitions represent a new series on view at both Racine Art Museum and its second campus, RAM's Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts, that highlight the work of contemporary artists of color—defined by RAM in this context as non-white and European. This simplification is acknowledged by museum staff as an arguably flawed starting point, as it does not account for the nuances and variations of society. Nevertheless, RAM intends its nascent efforts as a much-needed spotlight on voices that have been historically underrepresented, such as women and artists of color.

As an educational institution rooted in the humanities and using art as a catalyst, RAM encourages inquiry and exploration about the world in which we live. While the work of artists of color has been and will continue to be shown in a variety of contexts at both museum campuses, the Showcase series specifically highlights conversations around equity, inclusion, and social justice ignited by artists of color represented in the museum’s permanent collection.

Exhibitions at Racine Art Museum are made possible by: Platinum Sponsors—Judith and David Flegel Fund, Nicholas and Nancy Kurten, Wingate Foundation; Diamond Sponsors—Osborne and Scekic Family Foundation, Ruffo Family Foundation; Gold Sponsors—Anonymous, David Charak, Tom and Irene Creecy, Herzfeld Foundation, Ron and Judith Isaacs, National Endowment for the Arts, Racine Community Foundation, Trio Foundation of St. Louis, W.T. Walker Group, Inc., Wisconsin Arts Board; Silver Sponsors—A.C. Buhler Family, Andis Foundation, Lucy G. Feller, Ben and Dawn Flegel, Johnson Financial Group, Bill Keland, Dorothy MacVicar, RDK Foundation, Inc., Real Racine, Reliance Controls, Twin Disc, Inc.; Bronze Sponsors—Anonymous, Baird, Susan Boland, Virginia Buhler, Educators Credit Union, Fredrick and Deborah Ganaway, Get Behind the Arts Studio Tour, William A. Guenther, Tom and Sharon Harty, Andrea and Tony Hauser, The Norbell Foundation, Bill and Mary Walker; Media Sponsors—88Nine Radio Milwaukee, Wisconsin Public Radio.

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Together, the two campuses of the Racine Art Museum, RAM in downtown Racine at 441 Main Street and the Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts at 2519 Northwestern Avenue, seek to elevate the stature of contemporary crafts to that of fine art by exhibiting significant works in craft media with painting, sculpture, and photography, while providing outstanding educational art programming.

Both campuses of the Racine Art Museum are currently operating with limited hours, open Wednesday through Saturday from Noon to 4:00 pm. To comply with the City of Racine mandate, masks covering both nose and mouth are required to enter RAM and RAM's Wustum Museum at all times.