Ed Clark, American, 1926–2019; Untitled (Bahia Series), 1988; dry pigment and acrylic; 29 3/8 x 32 3/4 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, The Thelma and Bert Ollie Memorial Collection, Gift of Ronald and Monique Ollie 130:2017; © Ed Clark / Michael Rosenfeld Gallery
The Saint Louis Art Museum continues its commitment to engage, include, and represent the full diversity of the St. Louis community through its exhibitions, programming, and events. Visit the Museum or search online to discover more than 300 works by artists of African descent in the Museum’s collection. Learn more about special events and exhibitions that focus on African and African American history and culture.
Art
Recent Acquisition: Untitled (Girl with Pigtails)
Despite its relatively small scale, this youthful portrait of an African American girl conveys impressive presence. Bronze lends a physical and visual weight to the sculpture, as light and shadow play across its luxurious surface. The malleable texture of the girl’s hair and clothing alongside her immobile face reflect Savage’s approach to the physicality of her subjects. She powerfully captured Black life of her era as a leader of the Harlem Renaissance, one of the most important creative and intellectual movements in 20th-century America.
Augusta Savage, American, 1892–1962; cast by Roman Bronze Works, New York, New York, active 1897–1980s; Untitled (Girl with Pigtails), c.1931–40; bronze; 8 1/4 x 5 x 3 1/2 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Museum Purchase, Bequest of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, and Gift of Mrs. Ophelia Hollowell, all by exchange 44:2023
Julie Mehretu: Life in Abstraction
Edge to edge, vast architectural spaces are filled with linear touches of transparent colors and shapes to reveal passages above or below the horizon. With swirls, loops, and curves that spotlight human experiences, the horizon shifts depending on one’s perspective, questioning the boundaries between abstraction and the world around us. Mehretu’s distinctive style of abstraction is represented in the SLAM collection with two works: Grey Space (distractor) (2006) and Epigraph, Damascus (2016).
An upcoming exhibition opening October 31, 2025, will showcase the large print, Epigraph, Damascus (2016).
Julie Mehretu, American (born Ethiopia), born 1970; Grey Space (distractor), 2006; acrylic and ink on canvas; 72 x 96 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Gift of the Honorable and Mrs. Thomas F. Eagleton by exchange, Siteman Contemporary Art Fund, and funds given by Emily Rauh Pulitzer 1:2010; © Julie Mehretu
Art for Sleep: Yaka Headrest
This headrest depicts a leopard prepared for its human equal: a Yaka leader. The feline’s smooth arched back and the relief of birds and four-legged creatures encircling the base support the weight of the Yaka leader’s neck and head as he slumbers or rests. The sculpted elements create visual and structural stability, as the headrest aligns the neck and head with the body to ensure well-balanced sleep. As an example of domestic arts, this everyday object symbolized a leader’s power to seek out enemies and protect his people.
Yaka artist, Democratic Republic of the Congo; Headrest (musaw), late 19th century; wood, copper alloy; 6 3/4 x 8 7/8 x 4 3/4 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Museum Purchase 20:1942
More African and African American art
These 8 artworks are a part of the Thelma and Bert Ollie Memorial Collection. They are currently not on view. We invite you to explore these works online or visit the Print Study Room to make an appointment to view them in person.
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Sam Gilliam, American, 1933–2022
Half Circle Red More Information -
Ed Clark, American, 1926–2019
Untitled (Bahia Series) More Information -
Nanette Carter, American, born 1954
Slightly Off Keel #60 More Information -
James Little, American, born 1952
Study for the Surrogate More Information -
Sir Frank Bowling, English (born Guyana), born 1936
Fishes, Wishes and Star Apple Blue More Information -
Norman Lewis, American, 1909–1979
Untitled More Information -
Mary Lovelace O'Neal, American, born 1942
City Lights (Prophet with No Tongue) More Information -
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Al Loving, American, 1935–2005
Zayamaca #4 More Information
Events
Audio Guide
Power of Place
This audio guide celebrates arts of Africa and the African diaspora, featuring diverse Black, African, and African American people, artists, and cultures. Listen to the director’s introduction, narrators from the Saint Louis Art Museum, and community voices.
Ongoing Programs
2024 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration: Boldly Embracing a Legacy of Greatness
Since 2002, the Museum has honored the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with an annual program. This program is supported by the Dana Brown Endowed Fund for Education and Community Programs.
Kwanzaa Celebration
Learn about the traditions of Kwanzaa through a journey of the seven principles and a scavenger hunt featuring art from the Museum’s collection.
Romare Bearden Graduate Museum Fellowship
The Romare Bearden Graduate Museum Fellowship honors the pioneering artist’s legacy by providing opportunities to early-career museum professionals. The goal of the Fellowship is to promote greater access to the field for individuals from backgrounds that are historically and statistically underrepresented at American art museums.
Friends of
African American ArtCollectors Circle
We invite you to become a member of the Museum’s Friends of African American Art Collectors Circle. Quarterly programs offer the perfect opportunity for those who wish to expand their awareness of African American art of the past and present.
Support
This guide is supported by the Dana Brown Endowed Fund for Education and Community Programs.