Whitfield Lovell: Passages – Art Exhibit
March 1 – May 26
Cincinnati Art Museum
Price Varies
Attend the Whitfield Lovell: Passages Art Exhibit at Cincinnati Art Museum from March 1 through May 26.
Whitfield Lovell: Passages urges viewers to contemplate the ordinary lives and extraordinary journeys of the African American experience while raising universal questions about identity, memory, and America’s collective heritage. Over 80 evocative multisensory installations, conté crayon drawings, and assemblages comprise this most comprehensive exhibition of the artist’s work.
Born in the Bronx, Lovell, a 2007 MacArthur Fellowship recipient, creates exquisite drawings, finding inspiration in photographs of unidentified African Americans taken between the Emancipation Proclamation and the Civil Rights Movement. He creates assemblages by pairing his drawings—on paper or salvaged wood boards—with found objects, many weathered by time.
Some of Lovell’s assemblages appear in his larger installations, while others he presents as symbolic and enigmatic stand-alone tableaux. Works from his acclaimed Kin series evolved into recent productions, The Reds and Card Pieces.
Whitfield Lovell: Passages Admission
The Whitfield Lovell: Passages exhibit is ticketed. Free for Members.
Nonmembers can see the exhibition for free on Thursday nights from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m., Tuesdays throughout March and April, and during Art After Dark on March 29 and April 26 from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
One ticket – two exhibitions! If you buy a ticket for Whitfield Lovell: Passages from March 1–April 7, you can use that same ticket to see Clearly Indigenous: Native Visions Reimagined in Glass!
Whitfield Lovell (American, b. Bronx, NY), Kin I (Our Folks), 2008, Conté on paper, found paper flags, string, 30 x 22 1/2 in., Collection of Reginald and Aliya Browne, Courtesy of American Federation of Arts, the artist, and DC Moore Gallery, New York 
Whitfield Lovell (American, b. Bronx, NY), America, 2000, Charcoal on wood,, 89 x 53 1/2 x 20 in., Courtesy of American Federation of Arts, the artist, and DC Moore Gallery, New York 
Whitfield Lovell (American, b. Bronx, NY), The Red I, 2021, Conté on paper with attached found object 45 3/4 x 34 x 5 7/8 in., Courtesy American Federation of Arts, the artist, and DC Moore Gallery, New York Whitfield Lovell (American, b. Bronx, NY), Visitation: The Richmond Project, 2001, Parlor, Dining table, organ, various objects, wooden walls 223 1/4 x 161 3/4 in., Courtesy of American Federation of Arts, the artist, and DC Moore Gallery, New York 
Whitfield Lovell (American, b. Bronx, NY), Head with Flowers, 1992, Oil stick and charcoal on paper, 85 1/2 x 50 in., Courtesy of American Federation of Arts, the artist, and DC Moore Gallery, New York 
Whitfield Lovell (American, b. Bronx, NY), Because I Wanna Fly, 2021, Conté on wood with attached found objects, Diam: 114 in., Virginia Museum of Fine Arts 
Whitfield Lovell, (American, b. Bronx, NY), Deep River, 2013. Fifty-six wooden discs, found objects, soil, video projections, sound Dimensions variable. Courtesy of American Federation of Arts, the artist, and DC Moore Gallery, New York. 
Whitfield Lovell (American, b. Bronx, NY) Crossroads, 2012 Conté on wood with attached paperback books 39 x 36 x 5 in. Courtesy of American Federation of Arts, the artist, and DC Moore Gallery, New York 
Whitfield Lovell (American, b. Bronx, NY), Kin XXV (River Run), 2008. Conté on paper, plastic figurine. 30 x 22 1/2 x 1 1/4 in. Courtesy of American Federation of Arts, the artist, and DC Moore Gallery, New York 
Whitfield Lovell (American, b. Bronx, NY) The Company You Keep, 2002 Charcoal on wood with chair Courtesy of American Federation of Arts, the artist, and DC Moore Gallery, NewYork 
Whitfield Lovell (American, b. Bronx, NY) You’re My Thrill, 2004 Charcoal on wood, bombshell casings Overall: 54 x 36 1/2 x 14 in. Courtesy American Federation of Arts, Whitfield Lovell, and DC Moore Gallery, New York 
Whitfield Lovell (American, b. Bronx, NY) Deep River, 2013 Fifty – six wooden discs, found objects, soil, video projections, sound Dimensions variable Courtesy of American Federation of Arts, the artist, and DC Moore Gallery, New York 
Whitfield Lovell: Passages, 2022 Editor: Michèle Wije, with essays by Cheryl Finley & Bridget R. Cooks Publishers: American Federation of Arts & Rizzoli Electa Dimensions: 9×11 1 /2 inches Format: Hardcover, 176 Pages ISBN: 978-0-8478-7299-2
Whitfield Lovell: Passages Experiential Installations
Two of Lovell’s experiential installations, Deep River and Visitation: The Richmond Project, are brought together here for the first time.
The monumental Deep River (2013) combines video projections, sound, drawings, and everyday objects. Documenting the perilous journey freedom seekers took by crossing the Tennessee River during the Civil War, Deep River addresses the struggle for freedom and its inherent themes of abandonment, death, life, and hope. At the same time, it invites viewers to consider the larger human quest for equality and the pursuit of a better life—matters that transcend time and geography.
Visitation: The Richmond Project (2001) is a profound homage to the country’s first major Black entrepreneurial community. In this emotive installation, the artist pays tributes to the lives, names, and faces of the people of Jackson Ward in Richmond, Virginia. Lovell explains, “The installations are about memory and heritage, and the markings that the past has made—and continues to make—on who we are.”
Whitfield Lovell: Passages is organized by the American Federation of Arts in collaboration with Whitfield Lovell. Major support for the national tour and exhibition catalogue are provided by National Endowment for the Arts and the Terra Foundation for American Art. In Cincinnati, this exhibition was financially assisted by The Patricia Kisker Foundation.
Whitfield Lovell: Passages Related Events
Gallery Talk Plus
Saturday, April 13, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Reservations required. Members: $10, General public: $20
Gain a deeper insight into the exhibition Whitfield Lovell: Passages through this unique gallery experience for adult audiences. Join an in-depth discussion of a topic led by a curator or guest speaker inside the selected exhibition. Then, enjoy an exclusive performance or artistic demonstration supporting the exhibition’s or artwork’s themes.
Create Plus
Saturday, May 11, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Reservations required. Members: $20, General Public: $30
Try a new art technique in this studio-based program designed for adult audiences. Each themed class will begin with a discussion in Whitfield Lovell: Passages, led by an artist or educator, to gain inspiration and understanding of the art form. Then, learn from skilled artists to take your artmaking practice to the next level.
Cincinnati Art Museum Venue Details
The Cincinnati Art Museum is supported by the generosity of individuals and businesses that give annually to ArtsWave. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund the Cincinnati Art Museum with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Cincinnati Art Museum gratefully acknowledges operating support from the City of Cincinnati and its members. A gift from the Rosenthal Family Foundation makes free general admission to the Cincinnati Art Museum possible. Exhibition pricing may vary. Generous support for the museum’s extended Thursday hours is provided by the Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program.
Admission
Museum admission and parking are free.
Hours
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: 11 a.m. –5 p.m.
- Wednesday: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Thursday: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- Friday: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Saturday: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Sunday: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Parking
Parking is free in Museum lots. Accessible parking is available. Wheelchair and stroller entry is available via the front entrance. Bike Racks are available outside the Main Entrance of the Art Museum. Arrive using Cincinnati METRO.
Accessibility
The Cincinnati Art Museum strives for inclusivity by increasing accessibility to its collection, programming, and resources. For more information about accessibility programs or to request accommodations, please contact [email protected].
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Images provided by Cincinnati Art Museum
