The Art Institute of Chicago announces a major retrospective of Elizabeth Catlett, titled “A Black Revolutionary Artist and All That It Implies,” on view from August 30, 2025, through January 4, 2026. The exhibition brings together over 100 works spanning Catlett’s career as a sculptor, printmaker, feminist, and social activist, highlighting her enduring influence and her commitment to addressing poverty, racism, and imperialism through art and activism.
This retrospective is significant because it offers a long-overdue comprehensive look at Catlett’s contributions to 20th-century art and social justice, placing her work in dialogue with contemporary struggles. Organized by the Brooklyn Museum, the National Gallery of Art, and the Art Institute of Chicago, the exhibition underscores Catlett’s role as a defining artist whose practice seamlessly merged craftsmanship with political messaging, and it brings her legacy to a new generation of audiences.