The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (AGNS) has opened "On the Matter of Memory: The Drawings of Harold Cromwell," the first solo exhibition dedicated to the late African Nova Scotian folk artist. Cromwell (1919–2008) created intricate ballpoint-pen drawings on everyday surfaces like cupboard doors and paper plates, chronicling working-class rural life. His works were sold for a few dollars at the Annapolis Farmer’s Market and were largely overlooked during his lifetime, despite his regional popularity. The exhibition runs until September 13, 2026, and aims to elevate his legacy alongside better-known Nova Scotian folk artists like Maud Lewis.
This exhibition matters because it corrects a historical oversight in Canadian folk art, highlighting a Black artist whose work was marginalized due to his race and his use of unconventional materials. Cromwell remains Nova Scotia’s only prominent Black folk artist, and the show challenges the canon of Maritime folk art, which has often excluded him. By giving Cromwell a major institutional platform, the AGNS broadens the narrative of folk art in Canada and underscores the importance of preserving diverse artistic legacies.