Maryland State Wire

The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) is set to unveil "Black Earth Rising," an exhibition curated by Ekow Eshun, which highlights nature's beauty and challenges through art. Opening on May 18, the exhibition will feature works from artists representing African diasporic, Latin American, and Native American communities. The event is part of the BMA’s "Turn Again to the Earth" initiative and will run until September 21, 2025.

The exhibition will showcase paintings, sculptures, films, and mixed-media pieces by renowned artists, including Alejandro Piñeiro Bello, Frank Bowling, Teresita Fernández, and others. According to Asma Naeem, the BMA’s Dorothy Wagner Wallis Director, "Black Earth Rising brings forward the boundless imagination and expressions of a remarkable cadre of artists and invites us to revel in the power of nature."

Highlighted works include Bello's "Viajando En La Franja Del Iris," a large oil painting depicting the Caribbean's vibrancy; Otobong Nkanga’s "Meanders," a textile creation; and Sky Hopinka’s film "Mnemonics of Shape and Reason." These pieces explore themes of colonialism, cultural displacement, and the environment.

The exhibition also links contemporary issues with historical contexts, such as the impact of colonialism on climate change narratives. The BMA will debut a soundscape titled "Ma’at Nadjartat Nun" by Jamal R. Moore, inspired by indigenous sounds and available via the Bloomberg Connects platform.

Guest curator Ekow Eshun remarked, "Black Earth Rising brings together artists exploring questions of history, power, climate change, and social and environmental justice—and who are doing so through artworks of powerful insight and great resonance and beauty."

The exhibition suggests that current conversations about climate change include a focus on the contributions of artists of color. The show's name, "Black Earth Rising," references "terra preta" or "black soil," an ancient and fertile earth from the Amazon Basin that reflects sustainable practices of Indigenous civilizations.

BMA continues its mission to inspire through art, offering general admission free of charge, enabling diverse audiences to engage with a collection that spans numerous cultures and eras.