Come On In

Over more than three decades, Claire Oliver Gallery has built and sustained a reputation for championing historically underrepresented artists, many of whom are today recognized as significant voices within American art history. The majority of names on its roster have always been of women, and the gallery has facilitated the acquisition of more than 300 works by Black and brown artists by major museums throughout the United States. These include the exuberant, intricate quilted portraits of Bisa Butler; the cut-paper and illuminated works of Barbara Earl Thomas; and the sewn and layered textiles of Gio Swaby that celebrate Black women. "The work, conceptually, has to be rigorous, and it has to have a message that's important, that is going to elicit conversations," Oliver says. "But then equally important is I want to see the hand ofthe artist on the craft."

August 28, 2023