20 Important African-American Female Artists of the 20th Century

We highlight the female artists whose work we should remember during Black History Month and Carrie Mae Weems' exhibition at the Guggenheim.

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Image via Complex Original
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At the end of January, a retrospective by photographer Carrie Mae Weems titled "Carrie Mae Weems: Three Decades of Photography and Video" opened at the Guggenheim in New York City (on view until May 14, 2014). The exhibition is a comprehensive look at the artist's career and a life spent creating work that explores race, gender, and social issues through examining the concepts of history and identity.

Weems is an important figure among many African-American female artists who helped pave the way for creators depicting issues of discrimination from the 20th century until now. These women broke through the barriers of the male-dominated art world, celebrating womanhood, identity, and a crucial shift in historical and modern racial and gender issues. They helped catalyze movements such as the Harlem Renaissance and fought for equal representation of women in large-scale art shows. 

 

Samella Lewis

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Renee Cox

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Faith Ringgold

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Adrian Piper

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Chakaia Booker

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Marilyn Nance

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Lorna Simpson

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Edmonia Lewis

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Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller

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Alma Woodsey Thomas

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Selma Burke

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Valerie Maynard

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Harriet Powers

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Renee Stout

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Loïs Mailou Jones

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Betye Saar

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Elizabeth Catlett

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Kara Walker

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Carrie Mae Weems

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Augusta Savage

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