Kara Walker Opening Day with Special Programs and Activities

Special Lecture with Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw | "Kara Walker, Winslow Homer, Blackness, & AI"

Saturday, March 1 at 2:00 p.m.

The keynote lecture considers the ongoing engagement with "Harper’s Weekly" illustrations made by Winslow Homer and other artists during the Civil War, by contemporary artists, like Kara Walker, who seek to reframe them, and the everyday art lovers who search for historical images of African Americans to add to their walls. What insight can these contested historic images give us into the desires of the contemporary art market at a time when artificial intelligence is radically reshaping the creation and consumption of art?

A renowned scholar of Kara Walker’s work, Dr. Shaw’s research focuses on portraiture and issues of representation, with an emphasis on the construction of race, class, gender, and sexuality in the American context. She has previously served on the faculty of Harvard University and as the Director of Research, Publications, and Scholarly Programs at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. She is the author of "Seeing the Unspeakable: The Art of Kara Walker" (2004) and "The Art of Remembering: Essays on African American Art and History" (2024). Free with registration.

Creative Collage Altered Books Activity

Saturday, March 1 from 10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Explore beloved children’s books, historical texts, and popular novels to see them in a whole new light. Who’s missing? Who’s misrepresented? Reimagine these stories by adding your own perspective through drawing and writing.

In-Gallery Talks

Saturday, March 1 at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Engage with the stories behind the art in a 15-minute talk in the galleries. At 11:30 a.m., Lauryn Smith, PhD, assistant curator, will delve into the "Harper’s Weekly" illustrations by Winslow Homer. At 12:30 p.m., Dawn R. Brean, chief curator & director of collections, will explore the evocative art of the silhouette. Talks take place in the galleries, and a limited number of stools will be available for seating on a first-come, first-served basis.

Special Member Access and Breakfast

Saturday, March 1 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Members are invited to have early access to the exhibition starting at 9:00 a.m. and enjoy lite bites and an exclusive reflection activity in the Community Room from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Individual memberships are just $55 and family memberships are $75. Discounted membership prices for ADA, Seniors, and Students are also available. Information about memberships is available at TheFrickPittsburgh.org/membership.

Image:
Kara Walker, Exodus of Confederates from Atlanta. From Harper’s Pictorial History of the Civil War (Annotated), 2005. Offset lithography and silkscreen. Sheet: 39 x 53 inches (99.1 x 134.6 cm) Edition of 35. Courtesy of the New Britain Museum of American Art, 2019.4.12 © Kara Walker