Categorizing Black artists’ work into a simple framework or single aspect of American art history would be impossible. These creations are endlessly evolving, comprising every sort of style and medium. In New York, ACA Galleries takes a closer look at the complex realm of Black art in the wide-ranging group exhibition “Continuum: Over 100 Years of Black Art,” on view through March 7, 2026. Bringing artworks dating from the 19th century to today, the show celebrates the pioneering practices of more than a dozen Black artists and places their work in dialogue to reveal new perspectives on their achievements.
Installation view of “Continuum: Over 100 Years of Black Art” (2026). Courtesy of ACA Galleries.
Some of the earliest pieces within the show are by Charles Ethan Porter (1847–1923), a painter who specialized in still lifes—the only professional Black artist at the turn of the century to focus on the genre, and subsequently one of the first to exhibit at the National Academy of Design, New York. He is represented in the show with a pair of contemplative and meticulously rendered floral still lifes that convey a subtle psychological resonance through color palette and brushstrokes that range from subtle to bold.
Another historical highlight of the show is a vibrant composition by Romare Bearden, Bluer Than Blue (1981). Recognized as one of the great collagists of the 20th century, he was also an author and songwriter and was greatly inspired by music. The influence of Jazz specifically can be traced throughout his oeuvre, and is exemplified in works like Bluer Than Blue.
Charles Ethan Porter, Still Life with Flowers (n.d.). Courtesy of ACA Galleries.
Textile art is represented in the show through pieces like Five Blacks (2018) by Helen McBride Richter, who taps historical modes of quilt making but with a contemporary sensibility. Further collages by Bearden, sculpture by Augusta Savage and Elizabeth Catlett, mixed-media compositions by Faith Ringgold and Sam Gilliam, paintings by Richard Mayhew and Clementine Hunter, and more, together the artists and artworks showcased in “Continuum: Over 100 Years of Black Art” illuminate an essential and dynamic vein of art history.
Helen McBride Richter, Five Blacks (2018). Courtesy of ACA Galleries.
Established in 1932, ACA Galleries was one of only three galleries in New York City that focused exclusively on American art. In the decades that followed its founding, the gallery expanded to include expertise in European art while continuing to serve as a bastion for American art. This includes championing the work of Black artists, with the present exhibition demonstrating this commitment and offering a cogent starting point for considerations around the impact and influence of Black artists throughout American art history.
“Continuum: Over 100 Years of Black Art” is on view at ACA Galleries, New York, through March 7, 2026.
