Mavis Pusey: Mobile Images, the first major museum survey of the Jamaica-born artist and educator Mavis Pusey (1928–2019), opens at the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) Philadelphia on July 12 and runs through December 7. Co-organized with the Studio Museum in Harlem, where it will travel in spring 2027, the exhibition features over 50 years of Pusey’s work in geometric abstraction, including paintings, prints, and works on paper. It highlights her Broken Construction series (1960s–1990s) and incorporates photographs, personal notes, and archival materials to contextualize her practice.
This exhibition matters because it addresses the historical oversight of Pusey, an important figure in geometric abstraction whose international presence was largely overlooked during her lifetime. By advancing new research and preservation efforts, Mobile Images deepens understanding of her contributions to abstract art and her engagement with themes of destruction, renewal, and urban environments. The show also underscores ongoing efforts to recognize artists of color and women who have been marginalized in art history.