Nancy Elizabeth Prophet: I Will Not Bend an Inch
Closing July 27
“Long overdue, the exhibition is a compelling ode to the artist and her legacy.” —Hyperallergic
As an Afro-Indigenous woman artist, Nancy Elizabeth Prophet is a model of unshakable determination. Nancy Elizabeth Prophet: I Will Not Bend an Inch, the first museum examination of this underrecognized sculptor, honors Prophet’s remarkable work and legacy with timely new scholarship. See 20 rare works and historical documentation that reveal how she navigated an unwelcoming art world.
Nine portrait heads that Prophet carved from hardwood powerfully demonstrate the artist’s skill—and are among only a handful of her works to survive. They’re displayed alongside even rarer pieces, including marble carvings, reliefs, and works on paper.
Prophet’s correspondence with W. E. B. Du Bois, a lifetime supporter of her work, helps fill gaps in the artist’s biography, as do archival photographs and a fascinating Paris diary.
Experience the exhibition through July 27! Included with general admission.
From the top: Prophet teaching sculpture with a professor at Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia, 1937. Courtesy of CriticalPast; Image courtesy of Brooklyn Museum Shop
Nancy Elizabeth Prophet: I Will Not Bend an Inch is organized by the RISD Museum. The exhibition is curated by Dominic Molon, Interim Chief Curator & Richard Brown Baker Curator of Contemporary Art; Sarah Ganz Blythe, former Deputy Director of Exhibitions, Education, and Programs; and Kajette Solomon, Social Equity and Inclusion Specialist, RISD Museum. The Brooklyn Museum presentation is organized by Catherine Morris, Sackler Senior Curator, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, with Carla Forbes, Curatorial Assistant, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Brooklyn Museum.
Generous support is provided by the Maurer Family Foundation and Tina Estes Novogratz.
This exhibition originated at the RISD Museum thanks to generous federal, private, and endowment support.
