Winter is a perfect time to immerse yourself in thought-provoking exhibitions that center on Black art and storytelling. This season, museums and galleries across the globe are showcasing works that celebrate resilience, history, and innovation within the African diaspora and beyond. From the heart of New York City to the vibrant streets of Paris, these exhibitions offer a range of perspectives, addressing themes like liberation, identity, and the power of cultural heritage. Whether you’re drawn to paintings that reinterpret art-world icons or installations that explore Pan-Africanism, this winter’s lineup is sure to inspire.
Among the highlights is Projects: Marlon Mullen at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, where Mullen transforms the covers of elite art publications into deeply personal and expressive reinterpretations. In Chicago, Project a Black Planet: The Art and Culture of Panafrica examines the idealogy’s artistic and historical impact through 350 works spanning decades and continents. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Alice Coltrane, Monument Eternal at the Hammer Museum invites contemporary artists to pay tribute to the legendary jazz musician’s spirituality and sound through innovative mediums.
This winter’s exhibitions also shine a spotlight on unsung legacies and visionary art forms. With this diverse collection of exhibitions, there’s no shortage of captivating stories to explore—each offering a window into the boundless creativity and enduring impact of Black artists worldwide.
Marlon Mullen reimagines the covers of major art publications through his expressive, smeared paintings that transform elite art imagery into personal interpretations. This exhibition showcases 25 of his works, highlighting his unique perspective cultivated at the NIAD Art Center, which supports artists with developmental disabilities.
Museum of Modern Art, New York. December 14, 2024–April 20, 2025
This ambitious exhibition explores Pan-Africanism through 350 works, connecting the global movement’s cultural impact with historical and contemporary art. Pieces such as Yto Barrada’s Tectonic Plate illustrate the enduring pull of Africa as a unifying force.
Art Institute of Chicago. December 15, 2024–March 30, 2025
This exhibition features diverse works addressing themes such as colonialism, diaspora, and identity through varied mediums, including collages and landscape photography. Artists include Zohra Opoku, Yinka Shonibare, and Awol Erizku.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art. December 15, 2024–August 3, 2025
Celebrating the resilience of Chicanx artists, this show explores the inventive use of upcycled materials in works that reflect survival and identity. Artists include Margarita Cabrera and Luis Jiménez, revisiting the influential aesthetic of rasquachismo and domesticana.
McNay Art Museum, San Antonio, Texas. December 19, 2024–March 30, 2025
Renowned British Black Arts Movement leader Lubaina Himid’s survey features installations and paintings envisioning Black liberation. Highlights include her latest works addressing colonialism and ecological concerns.
UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing. January 18, 2025–April 27, 2025
Joe Overstreet’s revolutionary abstract and figurative works explore liberation and civil rights. This exhibition highlights his groundbreaking freestanding canvases alongside politically charged paintings.
Menil Collection, Houston. January 24, 2025–July 13, 2025
Centering artists from underrepresented regions, this exhibition critiques Western narratives of art history. Featured works explore themes of time, Eurocentrism, and Caribbean modernism.
Centre Pompidou-Metz, France. January 25, 2025–September 1, 2025
A retrospective of John Wilson’s modernist works highlights his portrayal of Black dignity and struggles against racism. The exhibition also features Wilson’s techniques in sculpture and muralism.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. February 8, 2025–June 22, 2025
This tribute to jazz legend Alice Coltrane delves into her spirituality and musical legacy. Contemporary artists respond to her life through film, audio, and archival materials.
Hammer Museum, Los Angeles. February 9, 2025–May 4, 2025
This retrospective examines Donald Rodney’s exploration of personal illness and systemic racism through evocative works such as “The House That Jack Built,” incorporating X-rays and sculpture.
Whitechapel Gallery, London. February 12, 2025–May 4, 2025
A retrospective of Rammellzee’s eclectic career, featuring over 100 works blending street art, performance, and his “gothic futurist” theories. Unseen archival materials provide deeper insights.
Palais de Tokyo, Paris. February 20, 2025–May 11, 2025
Todd Gray juxtaposes imagery from his archives with historical Black spaces to explore post-colonial narratives. His photo sculptures include images of icons like Al Green and Iggy Pop.
Lehmann Maupin, New York. January 23, 2025–March 22, 2025
Inspired by Afrofuturism, this exhibition showcases Barkley L. Hendricks’s celestial-themed works from the 1970s, merging themes of identity, science, and exploration.
Jack Shainman Gallery, New York. January 9, 2025–February 22, 2025
Highlighting Africa’s archaeological history and cultural diversity, this exhibition connects ancient discoveries with modern survival strategies. It features interdisciplinary works and African street art.
James-Simon-Galerie, Berlin. June 12, 2024–April 27, 2025
The first major U.S. retrospective of Elizabeth Catlett celebrates her sculptures and prints that highlight racial and social justice, drawing on African and Mexican influences.
National Gallery of Art. March 9, 2025–July 6, 2025
This exhibition explores the 1970s revolution in documentary photography, showcasing innovative and diverse perspectives that challenge traditional notions of objectivity.
National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC. October 6, 2024–April 6, 2025
This exhibition pays tribute to civil rights leader Bayard Rustin through personal artifacts, photographs, and art he collected, offering an intimate look at his life and activism.
National Civil Rights Museum, Memphis. March 15, 2025
Beatriz Santiago Muñoz’s film explores metaphysical concepts of time and space, weaving narratives of Haitian and Puerto Rican cultural histories with philosophical insights.
Art Institute of Chicago. December 14, 2024–March 8, 2025
Ralph Lemon’s multidisciplinary works incorporate dance, performance, and visual art to explore memory and storytelling, challenging conventions of movement and space.
MoMA PS1, New York. November 14, 2024–March 24, 2025
This exhibition celebrates the artistic legacy of David C. Driskell and his profound connections with fellow artists who shaped 20th-century art. Featuring over 70 works by 35 prominent African American artists—including Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, Jacob Lawrence, and Kara Walker—it highlights the friendships and collaborations that influenced Driskell’s career.
Frist Art Museum, Upper-Level Galleries. March 14–June 1, 2025
