Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary Artist and All That It Implies

Elizabeth Catlett (1915–2012), a groundbreaking Black woman artist of the twentieth century, has often been overlooked in mainstream art circles compared to many of her contemporaries. The Brooklyn Museum, in collaboration with the National Gallery of Art, seeks to change this with Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary Artist and All That It Implies—an exhibition featuring over 200 works that honor her legacy as both an artist and an activist.

Catlett was a masterful sculptor and printmaker, a committed feminist, and a lifelong advocate for social justice. Growing up during the Great Depression, she experienced class inequality, racial violence, and U.S. imperialism firsthand, all of which shaped her art and activism. Through her nearly century-long career, Catlett consistently used her art to protest injustices, blending her creative vision with her political beliefs.

Born in Washington, D.C., Catlett moved to Mexico in 1946, where she spent the rest of her life amplifying the voices of Black and Mexican women. Drawing inspiration from African sculpture, as well as artists like Barbara Hepworth and Käthe Kollwitz, Catlett never wavered in her dedication to the Black liberation movement in the U.S. Her art, characterized by bold lines and full, flowing forms, continues to resonate with those fighting against poverty, racism, and imperialism.

For more information on our traveling exhibitions or to bring this important collection to your institution, please contact exhibitions@brooklynmuseum.org.