Barbara Chase-Riboud, now 86, reflects on her transformative 1958 trip to Egypt, which she undertook on a dare as a 19-year-old student at the American Academy in Rome. The journey, during which she explored the pyramids and temples of Luxor and Karnak alone, profoundly influenced her artistic practice, leading her to create abstract bronze sculptures that evoke ancient Egyptian forms. The article traces her remarkable career as a sculptor and writer, highlighting her many firsts: the first Black female artist acquired by MoMA (at age 16), the first Black woman to earn an MFA from Yale, the first living female artist to have a solo show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the only visual artist to appear on the cover of Ebony.
This profile matters because it reframes Chase-Riboud as a pioneering yet underrecognized figure who has operated at the peak of her powers for decades, despite an art world that sidelined women and Black artists. Her story challenges the canon of 20th-century abstraction and underscores the enduring impact of cross-cultural encounters on artistic vision. As she approaches her 86th birthday, the article positions her as a vital, still-active force whose work—both sculptural and literary—demands renewed attention and historical correction.