Steven Nelson
@snelsonus
Executive Director, Sam Gilliam Foundation; UCLA professor emeritus; and left-handed art historian who sees lots of shiny objects. Opinions expressed here are my own.
I wrote two essays on Betye Saar shortly after my mother died in 2017. When I interviewed Betye, she knew I was kind of a mess, but she was so kind. I still have the recording. A couple of months later, we did a public conversation at the LA Craft and Folk Art Museum. She was the best.
In working on my current book called, "Structural Adjustment: Mapping and the Visual Cultures of Blackness," I came across a graphic I made for the Boston Globe in 1985 for a story written by @markmuro1.bsky.social on maps and their biases.
Given our current political climate, I am deeply honored to be the recipient of the 2026 College Art Association Excellence in Diversity Award, which recognizes outstanding efforts in arts programming, projects, and/or scholarship to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion.
I’m so happy to see Leigh Raiford’s brilliant book, “When Home is a Photograph,” coming out in the Duke University Press series, “The Visual Arts of Africa and Its Diasporas,” which I co-edit with Dr. Kellie Jones.
“Nigerian Modernism” at Tate Modern is a breathtaking exhibition that details the artists and cultural figures working during much of the 20th century. The work is incredible, and the exhibition expertly curated.
Artist formerly known, “The Cholmondeley sisters and their swaddled babies,” c.1600–1610. This is one of my favorite paintings at Tate Britain.
I was out there as well (just happened to be driving by). There were not a lot of folks out there. Damn, that thing was tacky.
Bookshelf Residency: Feminist Press at ICA LA is a fantastic look at the venue’s 55 years of publishing. Some of the best known and most important feminist work in both fiction and non-fiction came out of this press. It’s great to learn more about its history.
How you park your VEVO bike when you don’t realize that you’re not the only person on the planet.
Films, panels, and artist presentations at Howard University this weekend. If you’re in the area, join us!
Happening this Wednesday at Bates College. My lecture, tilted “The Underground Railroad, Quilts, and the Power of Desire,” will take place at 4:30 in the Benjamin Mays Center. If you’re in the area, please come!
It was wonderful to have taken part in the gathering “The Education of the Eyes: 150 Years of Art History at Harvard,” this past weekend. Seeing old and new friends, mentors, colleagues, and students was exhilarating. Photo by Sarah Lewis. #arthistory #closelooking
#nokings rally DC. Note the snipers on the roof of the National Gallery of Art.
It was wonderful being in conversation with artist Victor Ekpuk about his fantastic work late night. From Victor: “When someone grounds their research about your art in cultural historical facts and quotes you verbatim, you know you’re talking to an art historian.”
This exhibition is an extraordinary cavalcade of work from that time that gives a broad view of Black makers and their formal and social concerns. The exhibition design is extraordinary.
The Trump-Epstein friendship statue has returned to the National Mall, on 3rd St. by the National Gallery of Art East Building.
Excited to be in conversation with artist Victor Ekpuk about his work. The event will be held Oct. 8 at the Goethe-Institut. It’s free and open to the public. www.eventbrite.com/e/creating-p...