Are Large Art Institutions Actually For the People? A Study of Art Museums in the Time of Racial Reckoning

Abstract

This senior project looks at and focuses on understanding why the art world, and art museums specifically, lack diversity and how this lack of diversity leads to the systematic exclusion of diverse narratives and audiences. Basically, white perspectives and white art has been privileged. I will explore how the historic role of museums and choice of art have systematically excluded racial and ethnic minorities. The goal is to research different curators and see what they have contributed to the contemporary art world through their work, explore the kinds of shows they develop, and see their progress in addressing the lack of diversity. Through the analysis of the history of these large art institutions, statistics of current representation in museums, previous controversial exhibitions, and recent hires of museums, it has highlighted the importance of diversity amongst the Art institutions and how beneficial persons of color are to the inclusion and progression of famous art institutions. The Harlem On My Mind controversy along with the reference of the Open Casket installation being accepted in the Whitney biennial highlights the privileging of white artists and white art in museums. It also highlights the policing of access to museums so much so that even when museums address issues that directly impact communities of color, they fail to include people of color. What I intended to show by discussing curators, Taina Caragol of The National Portrait Gallery and the Guggenheim’s Naomi Beckwith, is that curators of color bring forth diverse perspectives and incorporate diverse artists. These two curators and many more of their contemporaries, are tackling issues in a more sensitive manner, exposing visitors to new conversations, themes, and histories, and they are creating space for artists of color to be shown in these kinds of high art institutions. Curatorial jobs at art museums become more diverse and representative of America, eventually the artists like the ones I grew up knowing that I discussed at the start of this senior project, might actually have the opportunity to be shown in these kinds of spaces.