Continuum: Over 100 Years of Black Art

January 31 through March 7, 2026

ACA Galleries

173 10th Avenue, New York

ACA Galleries is pleased to announce its upcoming exhibition, Continuum: Over 100 Years of Black Art, that celebrates the range of styles and content in paintings, drawings and sculptures by African American artists from the 19th century to the present.

ACA Galleries' tradition of showcasing work by African American artists goes back to its founding in 1932. This legacy brings together seminal figures and contemporary voices across generations. Work by Romare Bearden, Winston Branch, Elizabeth Catlett, Allan Crite, Robert Colescott, Sam Gilliam, Clementine Hunter, Paul Keene, Jacob Lawrence, Norman Lewis, Richard Mayhew, Winfred Rembert, Faith Ringgold, Augusta Savage, Henry O. Tanner, Bob Thompson and Charles White, among others, will be on view.

Highlights of the exhibition include a selection of paintings by Edward Mitchell Bannister (1828-1901), a Canadian-American Tonalist painter primarily known for his landscapes. In 1876 he won first prize at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition; the first African American artist to receive a national award. 

Featured will be several works by Charles Ethan Porter (c. 1847-1923), an American Still Life painter. He is among the few African American artists of the 19th and early 20th century to work full time as an artist and was one of the first African American artists to exhibit at the National Academy of Design in NYC. 

Robert Scott Duncanson (1821-1872), associated with the Hudson River School, was self-taught.  His inherent ability and meticulous technique caught the attention of wealthy patrons who commissioned the artist to create murals and portraits, elevating his standing and respect in the community.  By the 1860s the American press proclaimed him the "best landscape painter in the West," while London newspapers hailed him as the equal of his British contemporaries.

This exhibition affirms ACA Galleries’ long-standing commitment to recognizing the contributions of African American artists. By featuring works that span nearly a century, this presentation offers a glimpse into artistic excellence, resilience, and innovation. The show invites viewers to consider the enduring impact of these artists within the broader history of American art.