Living Legacies: Art of the African American South, Toledo Museum of Art, January 15—May 1, 2022

Living Legacies highlighted recent additions to the Toledo Museum of Art’s collection from the Souls Grown Deep Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to documenting, preserving, and promoting the artistic production and cultural traditions of Black artists from the rural South.

The artists in Living Legacies are from Alabama and other parts of what has come to be called the Black Belt, or African American South—an area stretching from Virginia to Texas once dominated by forced labor plantations and now with significant Black populations. African, African diasporic, and African American histories, experiences, and traditions have shaped the contours of the lives of inhabitants throughout this diverse region, many of whom are descendants of enslaved people, including artists represented here. The inherent violence of colonialism and enslavement are also embedded within the very lands in which these artists are rooted. The exhibition acknowledged these heritages while centering the artists, their experiences, artistic practices, and their ongoing legacies. 

Expounding upon visual traditions largely based on the creative reinvention of everyday objects, which were initially developed out of necessity and subsequently forged into varied artistic practices, works by these artists explore family, aesthetic, and visual affiliations, along with social, spiritual, and political themes. Several artists are related to one another or acted as mentors to younger artists, demonstrating the intergenerational influences and artistic connections amongst them. Some utilize their art as a means of working through personal challenges exacerbated by systemic oppression and discrimination. Several were active in the Civil Rights Movement and continue to fight for equity and access for Black communities. Many also celebrate their strong faith and joyful moments of everyday life. While each artist has a distinct approach, they are linked by their desire to commemorate and share their ancestral histories and personal experiences and a shared love for creative and artistic expression as their legacies continue to stimulate and inspire future generations.