Black Lives Matter and Protest Art Exhibits to View Online

We have rounded up just some of the many current exhibits and art events that address themes of racial injustice and the Black Lives Matter movement. Many of these art events are physical exhibits that can also be viewed virtually, while some are online only.

Protest ArtThe Black Lives Matter movement and recent racial justice protests around the country have resonated deeply with many Americans, including artists. During the spring and summer of 2020, following the killing of George Floyd, murals and protest art popped up in cities and towns across the country, and artists are continuing to reflect on current social and political themes in new work. There are a number of Black Lives Matter and protest art exhibits now on view, many of them showing murals and street art that have been relocated. These exhibits are taking place in all kinds of venues, from large museums to college libraries and underground coffee houses, as well as in digital formats.

Here we have rounded up just some of the many current exhibits and art events that address themes of racial injustice and the Black Lives Matter movement. Many of these art events are physical exhibits that can also be viewed virtually, while some are online only. There are many other murals and street art projects that are not part of an exhibit but are currently on display in cities and towns all over the country.

Murals That Matter: Activism Through Public Art, National Building Museum, Washington, D.C.
This outdoor exhibit at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. consists of street art made during the spring and summer in connection with racial injustice protests in D.C. and around the country. The street art murals were made as part of a partnership between the education group P.A.I.N.T.S and the DowntownDC Business Improvement District. In addition to street art, the exhibit includes new murals of six of the civil rights leaders who organized the March on Washington in 1963. All of the murals can also be viewed online at the museum's website, which includes additional content such as video interviews with some of the artists, and a video of a panel discussion about the exhibit.

The Art of Protest, Compound Gallery, Bronx, New York
This exhibit features photos from Black and Latinx photographers that were taken at Black Lives Matter protests across the country in the spring and summer. The exhibit is available for in-person viewing at the Compound Gallery in the Bronx and also includes a virtual component. Online visitors enter a virtual gallery and can click on each photo to see a larger version and learn about each artist and their work. Any donations received from the exhibit will go to the Black Artist Fund.

rise up. Dupont Underground
This virtual and in-person exhibit includes photos taken of the Black Lives Matter movement in Washington, D.C. during the spring and summer of 2020. According to the curators, the show was designed to create a space for photographers of all backgrounds to share their experience with the movement. Some of the photos were taken by professionals, while others were taken by community members. The exhibit can be viewed in person at the Dupont Underground gallery, which is located under the city's Dupont Circle neighborhood. It can be viewed online through an interactive gallery where visitors can click on works and zoom in to view them up close.

Black Art Rising
This digital exhibit documents diverse responses to the Black Lives Matter movement, and it is designed to keep evolving and will be updated often with additional artists and new work. The exhibit now features protest art from eight creators, including visual and multi-disciplinary artists and a recording artist. This project is sponsored by the water brand LIFEWTR. In connection with the exhibit, a fund has been established to offer stipends to other Black artists. Submissions can be shared on Instagram through the #BlackArtRisingContest hashtag. Artists who are chosen will have their work aggregated into the digital gallery.

Say Their Names, Stanford University
An online and in-person art exhibit hosted by Stanford Libraries highlights how Black Americans have been impacted by police brutality and systemic racism. The online component displays images of each individual and provides background information on each person’s life. Among those featured are Emmett Till, Kalief Browder, Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, and George Floyd. The physical exhibit includes names affixed to glass panels in the university's main library, as well as banners throughout the library's first floor.

How Do We Move Forward? Cultural Council for Palm Beach County
This virtual and in-person exhibit features content from five pairs of Black spoken word and visual artists from Palm Beach County, Florida. These artists created works that respond to recent events. The exhibit was organized by ATB Fine Arts Group, a fine-arts consulting firm. It can be viewed in person at the Cultural Council's gallery in Lake Worth Beach, and some of the content can also be viewed online. The site also includes a video about the exhibit which features the artists.

Let's March On, Windgate Museum of Art, Hendrix College
This multi-disciplinary exhibit showcases the Black Lives Matter movement and art in the state of Arkansas. It includes photos, artwork, artifacts, and narrative text. Some of the work is available for online viewing. According to the curators, this show looks at stories from a local perspective that are contextualized within the larger national and international BLM movement.

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