Edges of Ailey

Edges of Ailey is the first large-scale museum exhibition, covering the life and career of multitalented choreographer and activist Alvin Ailey. A vast and immersive experience for visitors, the exhibition will contain artwork from over 80 artists–from Jean-Michel Basquiat to Lynette Yiadom-Boakye–inspired by Ailey as well as a multi-video installation showcasing performance footage, interviews, etc. courtesy of the Allan Gray Family Foundation, Black Archives of Mid America and the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation Archives. Collection. Whitney Museum of American Art, 99 Gansevoort Street, New York, NY 10014. Runs through February 25th, 2025

, ‎"
Carmen de Lavallade and Alvin Ailey at Jacobs Pillow
‎"
‎ (
1961
), ‎
Courtesy of John Lindquist and The Whitney Museum

Exhibition Description

"Ailey’s presence, felt through the video surround and his encased personal effects, envelops a scenic installation of artworks by over eighty artists. These works are arranged by themes that shaped Ailey’s life and dances. Sections span an expanded Black southern imaginary that enfolds histories of the American South with those of the Caribbean, Brazil, and West Africa; the enduring practices of Black spirituality; the profound conditions and effects of Black migration; the resilience for and necessity of an intersectional Black liberation; the prominence of Black women in Ailey’s life; and the robust histories and experiments of Black music; along with the myriad representations of Blackness in dance and meditations on dance after Ailey. Artists exhibited among Ailey include Jean-Michel Basquiat, Romare Bearden, Faith Ringgold, Alma Thomas, Jacob Lawrence, Rashid Johnson, Kevin Beasley, Kara Walker, and many others. A recent acquisition of Eldren Bailey and new works by Karon Davis, Jennifer Packer, Mickalene Thomas, and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye will be presented for the first time in honor of this landmark exhibition."

Visit site

No items found.

Join Our Vision

If you're passionate about shaping the future of art and culture, we'd love to have you onboard. Donate Now

Donate
Black and white logo of Miami MoCAAD.