5_The make believer (monet_s garden)

Amy Sherald

Biography

Born

Columbus, GA 1973

Education

2004 MFA, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD

1997 BFA, Clark-Atlanta University, Atlanta, GA

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2025

Whitney Museum of American Art, 'Amy Sherald: American Sublime', New York NY

2024

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 'Amy Sherald: American Sublime', San Francisco CA

Selected Group Exhibitions

2025

Bozar - Centre for Fine Arts, 'When We See Us', Brussels, Belgium (Traveling Exhibition)

Portland Art Museum, 'Global Icons, Local Spotlight: Contemporary Art from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer', Portland OR

North Carolina Museum of Art, 'The Time is Always Now: Artists Reframe the Black Figure', Raleigh NC (Traveling Exhibition)

The Morgan Library & Museum, 'A Lively Mind: Jane Austen at 250', New York NY

National Academy of Design, 'Class of 2024 Induction Exhibition', New York NY

2024

MAB FAAP - Museu de Arte Brasileira, 'Ancestral: Afro-Americas', São Paulo, Brazil  
High Museum of Art, 'Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys', Atlanta GA
The Museum of Contemporary Art, 'Ordinary People: Photorealism and the Work of Art since 1968', Los Angeles CA
Harvey B. Gantt Center, 'A Superlative Palette: Contemporary Black Women Artists', cur. Dexter Wimberly, Charlotte NC
The Box, 'The Time is Always Now: Artists Reframe the Black Figure', Plymouth (Traveling Exhibition)
Philadelphia Museum of Art, 'The Time is Always Now: Artists Reframe the Black Figure', Philadelphia PA (Traveling Exhibition)

New York Academy of Art, 'Big Stories', New York NY (Traveling Exhibition)
National Portrait Gallery, 'The Time is Always Now: Artists Reframe the Black Figure', London, UK

Brooklyn Museum, 'Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys', Brooklyn NY

Artist Residencies

2017

Joan Mitchell Residency, New Orleans, LO

2014 – 16

Creative Alliance Baltimore, Baltimore, MD

Awards and Grants

2019

Smithsonian American Ingenuity Award, Washington, D.C.

2018

Mary Sawyers Imboden Prize, Baker Artist Awards, Baltimore, MD

The David C. Driskell Prize, The High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA

Public Collections

Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, MD

Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH

The Columbus Museum, Columbus GA Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR

Embassy of the United States, Dakar, Senegal Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO

Long Museum, Shanghai, China

Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA

Marieluise Hessel Foundation, Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY

Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN

Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA

Nasher Museum of Art, Duke University, Durham, NC

National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.

National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C.

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington, D.C.

Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC Speed Art Museum, Louisville, KY

UBS Art Collection, New York, NY

Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY

Bibliography

Selected Monographs

2022

Sorkin, Jenni, Quashie, Kevin, Coates, Ta-Nehisi, 'Amy Sherald: The World We Make', Zurich/New York: Hauser & Wirth Publishers, 2022, ill.

2019

Christovale, Erin, Melandri, Lisa, Silva, Eddie (eds.), 'Amy Sherald', St. Louis: Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, 2019 (exh. cat.)

Selected Publications

2025

Gumpert, Lynn, Princenthal, Nancy, Sretenović, Vesela (et al.), 'Anonymous Was A Woman. The First 25 Years', New York: Grey Art Museum, New York University and Hirmer Publishers, 2025, p. 339, ill. (exh. cat.)

2024

Russell, Legacy, 'Black Meme. A History of the Images That Make Us', London/New York: Verso, 2024, ill.
Katz, Anna (ed.), 'Ordinary People—Photorealism and the Work of Art since 1968', Los Angeles: The Museum of Contemporary Art, 2024, p. 137, ill. (exh. cat.)
Mancoff, Debra N., 'Looking at Fashion. A Guide to Terms, Styles, and Techniques', Los Angeles: Getty Publications, 2024, cover, p. 63, ill.
Rolls-Bentley, Gemma, 'Queer Art: From Canvas to Club and the Spaces Between', London: Francis Lincoln, 2024, p. 178, ill.
Beatz, Swizz, Keys, Alicia, Gant, Kimberli, 'Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys', New York/London: Phaidon, 2024, pp. 227-229, 244, ill. (exh. cat.)
Andera, Margaret, Grabner, Michelle (eds.), '50 Paintings', Milwaukee: Milwaukee Art Museum, 2024, pp. 44, 132-133, 160, ill. (exh. cat.)
Eshun, Ekow (ed.), 'The Time is Always Now: Artists Reframe the Black Figure', London: National Portrait Gallery Publications, 2024, pp. 15-16, 79-84, 184, ill. (exh. cat.)

Eshun, Ekow, 'Reframing the Black Figure. An Introduction to Contemporary Black Figuration', London: National Portrait Gallery, 2024, cover, pp. 92-95, ill. (exh. cat.) 

Selected Press

2025

Silverman, Erica, 'Top New York Exhibitions: Rashid Johnson, William Kentridge, and More', on: whitewall.art, 8 May 2025, ill.

Anderson, Tom, 'Amy Sherald: American Sublime at the Whitney Museum', on: dailyartmagazine.com, 5 May 2025, ill.

Zigbi-Johnson, Najha, ''Amy Sherald: American Sublime' Skillfully Highlights Black Style And The Politics of Visibility,' on: essence.com, 30 April 2025, ill.

Arora, Natasha H., 'The Whitney Reintroduces Amy Sherald: The New Miss Americana', on: artandobject.com, 24 April 2025, ill.

Carroll, Rebecca, 'The Wonder of Amy Sherald' [interview], on: wearethemeteor.com, 26 April 2025, ill.

Ukiomogbe, Juliana, 'Amy Sherald's Black Beauty', on: vogue.com, 16 April 2025, ill.

Souleo, 'Beauty and strength at The Whitney and The Bronx Museum', on: rollingout.com, 14 April 2025, ill.

Carter, Felicity, 'American Sublime', on: musemagazine.it, 11 April 2025, ill.

Hampton, Olivia, 'Painter Amy Sherald asks: What is American?', on: npr.org, 9 April 2025, ill.

La Torre, Vincenzo, 'Feasts for contemporary art fans: David Hockney's Paris retrospective is his largest ever, while Amy Sherald's portraits of Black Americans are on display in New York', on: scmp.com, 10 April 2025, ill.

Harper Simone, Daria, 'Amy Sherald's First Whitney Show Captures the American Sublime', on: wmagazine.com, 8 April 2025, ill.

Sandstrom, Emily, ''Let's Hold Onto the Sublime': 10 Artists, Critics, and Curators Reflect on the Legacy of Amy Sherald' [interview], on: interviewmagazine.com, 9 April 2025, ill.

Ikeuchi, Erin, 'Amy Sherald Paints a 'Sublime' Portrait of Black America in New Whitney Show', on: hypebeast.com, 8 April 2025, ill.

___, 'The Whitney opens the New York debut of Amy Sherald's first major museum survey', on: artdaily.com, 8 April 2025, ill.

Valaquenta, Greer, 'Amy Sherald: American Sublime | Whitney Museum of American Art', on: museemagazine.com, 8 April 2025, ill.

Chen, Min, 'Amy Sherald’s Sublime Museum Show Takes New York - See 6 Unmissable Standouts', on: news.artnet.com, 8 April 2025, ill.

Saltz, Jerry, 'The Wary Gaze of Amy Sherald', on: vulture.com, 7 April 2025, ill.

Gural, Natasha, ''Amy Sherald: American Sublime' At The Whitney Re-imagines American Realism With Singular Visual Narratives', on: forbes.com, 4 April 2025, ill.

Straniero, Monica, 'Amy Sherald: American Sublime, Black Lives in Portraits Beyond the Frame', on: lavocedinewyork.com, 4 April 2025, ill.

Skena Culgan, Rossilynne, 'See stunning portraits of Michelle Obama, Breonna Taylor and more in this new Whitney Museum exhibit', on: timeout.com, 4 April 2025, ill.

NBC News, 'Amy Sherald: American Sublime' opens in New York', 2 April 2025

___, 'Amy Sherald Brings ‘American Sublime' to the Whitney Museum of American Art This April', on: united-magazine.com, 2 April 2025, ill.

Jackson, Stacy, 'Whitney Museum Displays Amy Sherald’s ‘Four Ways of Being', on: blackenterprise.com, 28 March 2025, ill.

Valentine, Victoria L., 'Pivotal Portrait by Amy Sherald Graces Cover of New Yorker in Advance of Major Survey at Whitney Museum of Art', on: culturetype.com, 24 March 2025, ill.

Ebert, Grace, 'A Visit to Amy Herald’s Studio Revels in Her Commitment to Beauty', on: thisiscolossal.com, 19 March 2025, ill.

art21, 'Singular Moments: Amy Sherald', 19 March 2025

Westall, Mark, 'Amy Sherald’s Debut New York Solo Museum Exhibition To Open in April', on: fadmagazine.com, 14 March 2025, ill.

Mouly, Françoise, 'Amy Sherald’s 'Miss Everything (Unsuppressed Deliverance', on: newyorker.com, 17 March 2025, ill.

Bellos, Ashley Avalon, 'Amy Sherald: The queen of grace and power takes on the Whitney Museum', on: amny.com, 13 March 2025, ill.

Davis, Ben, 'Which Artists Are Getting the Most Play in U.S. Museums This Month?', on: news.artnet.com, 12 March 2025, ill.

Cascone, Sarah, 'What is the 'American Sublime'? Amy Sherald’s Biggest Museum Show Ever Has an Answer', on: news.artnet.com, 30 January 2025, ill.

Ironclad, Petala, 'The Quiet Power of Presence: Amy Sherald at SFMOMA', on: observer.com, 5 February 2025, ill.

Chang, Jeff (host), Leibovitz, Annie, 'Process' [audio podcast episode, interview], in: Edge of Reason, Atlantic Re:think and Hauser & Wirth, season 2, episode 6, 6 February 2025

Dogliani, Jenny, 'Amy Sherald al Withney con gli Obama e Breonna Taylor', on: ilgornaledellarte.com, 19 February 2025, ill.

___, 'The Whitney Ramps up for an Amy Sherald Survey, and Other News', on: surfacemag.com, 19 February 2025, ill.

Pontone, Maya, 'Amy Sherald’s Sublime Portraits of Black Americans Head to NYC', on: hyperallergic.com, 20 February 2025, ill.

Mailman, Erika, 'You don’t want to miss this Amy Sherald exhibit at SF MOMA', on: timeout.com, 21 February 2025, ill.

Spiliotopoulos, Penny, 'Must-See: The Whitney Museum of American Art Presents Amy Sherald’s American Sublime', on: vmagazine.com, 26 February 2025, ill. 

___, 'Tickets Available for The Much Anticipated 'Amy Sherald: American Sublime' to Open at The Whitney in April', on: gothamtogo.com, 26 February 2025, ill.

Santos, Troi, 'Art that Transforms: 5 Takeaways from the Ursula Conversations', on: newswatchplus.ph, 15 January 2025, ill.

2024

PBS News Hour, 'Amy Sherald on the gaze and humanity of her portraits' [Jeffrey Brown in conversation with the artist], 13 December 2024
___, 'This is the 'Bazaar' 100', on: harpersbazaar.com, 4 December 2024, ill.
___, 'Power 100', on: artreview.com, 4 December 2024, ill.
Durrant, Nancy, 'The Time Is Always Now' at the Philadelphia Museum of Art', on: wmagazine.com, 25 November 2024, ill.
Esposito, Veronica, 'Amy Sherald: "Sublimity in Black life can be seen in our ability to persist"', on: theguardian.com, 26 November 2024, ill.
Blue, Max, '"American Sublime," new SFMOMA exhibit, is an American elegy', on: sfexaminer.com, 25 November 2024, ill.
Esposito, Veronica, 'Amy Sherald Gathers ‘Sublime’ American Portraits at SFMOMA', on: kqed.org, 22 November 2024, ill.
Batiste, Jon, 'Artist Amy Sherald and Musician Jon Batiste Are ‘Shaping Our Perception of History’ One Work at a Time', [interview], on: culturedmag.com, 18 November 2024, ill.
Phillips, Sabrina, 'Amy Sherald and the Quiet Revolution of Black Portraiture', on: dailyartmagazine.com, 4 November 2024, ill.
Hockley, Rujeko, 'I WAS BORN FREE. The Liberation of Amy Sherald', in: Ursula Magazine, Hauser & Wirth, Fall/Winter 2024, pp. 62-75, ill.
Twersky, Carolyn, 'Buy a Jeff Koons or an Amy Sherald, Support Democracy', on: wmagazine.com, 2 October 2024, ill.
Lesser, Casey, 'Jeff Koons, Jenny Holzer, Amy Sherald, and others donate works to “Artists for Kamala” benefit sale staged by Artsy', on: artsy.net, 27 September 2024, ill.
Valentine, Victoria L., 'History Marker: "Amy Sherald: American Sublime" Will Be First Solo Exhibition of a Black Female Artist at Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery', on: culturetype.com, 29 September 2024, ill.
Wilson, Kimberly, 'Amy Sherald Becomes The First Black Contemporary Artist To Hold Solo Exhibition At National Portrait Gallery', on: essence.com, 24 September 2024, ill.
Carefoot, Helen, 'National Portrait Gallery will highlight Amy Sherald, artist behind iconic Michelle Obama portrait', on: timeout.com, 18 September 2024, ill.

___, 'A Look at the Biggest Stars of Fall', on: nytimes.com, 20 September 2024, ill.
Corliss, Kate, 'National Portrait Gallery Will Spotlight Amy Sherald, Artist Behind Iconic Michelle Obama Portrait', on: washingtonian.com, 16 September 2024, ill.
Herrmann, Simone, 'Amy Sherald', in: Madame, Munich, May 2024, pp. 142-145, ill.
Princenthal, Nancy, 'Amy Sherald, Brazen Optimist', on: nytimes.com, 9 September 2024, ill.
Greenberger, Alex, '81 Museum Exhibitions and Biennials to See This Fall', on: artnews.com, 2 September 2024, ill.
Greenidge, Kaitlyn, 'How Amy Sherald Painted Herself Into History', on: harpersbazaar.com, 14 August 2024, ill.
Hessel, Katy, 'Hello sailors: what these two kissing seamen can tell us about Kamala Harris’s White House bid', on: theguardian.com, 29 July 2024, ill.

___, 'CULTURED's Favorite Conversations Between Actors, Artists, and Other Creatives in 2024', on: culturedmag.com, 24 December 2024, ill.

Ackermann, Tim, 'The Best Exhibitions 2025: Part 2', on: weltkunst.de, 30 December 2024

Silverman, Erica, 'The Most Anticipated 2025 Exhibitions at MoMA, The Met, The Serpentine, and More', on: whitewall.art, 31 December 2024, ill.