The New Generation of Black Women and Nonbinary Gallerists

Waller Gallery, founded by curator and scholar Joy Davis in 2017, is a major player in the thriving Baltimore art scene, and situated on Piscataway Land, feels a great commitment to Indigenous art and artists. At the newly founded Chela Mitchell Gallery (it debuted in Washington, D.C., as a pop-up in July 2021), Chela Mitchell—a super stylish art advisor and dealer, and founder of Komuna House—put on two stunning shows: a group show titled “Envy the Wind,” comprised of six Black and POC artists who are D.C. locals; and painter Célia Rakotondrainy’s U.S. solo debut, featuring mesmerizing double-exposed portraits unpacking her Franco-Malagasy identity.

On the West Coast, artist and curator Tariqa Waters has been crushing boundaries through Martyr Sauce, a now decade-old renegade DIY underground gallery in Seattle’s Pioneer Square—which recently expanded with the addition of the aboveground exuberant Martyr Sauce Pop Art Museum (MS PAM). Nigerian artpreneur and gallerist Adenrele Sonariwo opened Rele Gallery’s L.A. location on Melrose Avenue exactly one year ago, building upon the Lagos-based gallery program she founded in 2015. Rele prioritizes contemporary African women artists including Nigerian painters Tonia Nneji and Chidinma Nnoli. And all-around renaissance woman in the art world Dominique Clayton founded Dominique Gallery in Los Angeles four years ago. Her West Adams storefront, arts incubator, and project space supports BIPOC artists with publicity, networking, collector relationships, and much more.

Superposition founder Storm Ascher started her flexible nomadic gallery approach back in 2018. She’s since held nuanced and engaging solo and group shows in L.A., Miami, and the Hamptons, and most recently co-curated “House of Crowns” in New York, which included works by Layo Bright, Renee Cox, and Haleigh Nickerson. Multi-talented curator and cultural strategist Ashara Ekundayo operated her namesake physical gallery from 2017 to 2019 in Oakland’s Uptown and KONO districts, showing greats like Zanele Muholi and Tiff Massey, and has since evolved to offering global pop-up and virtual art experiences centered on Black women’s artistic production.

Here, the following 11 Black women and nonbinary gallery owners—based in cities ranging from New York to Oakland—speak authentically, passionately, and truthfully about their driving passions, Black ownership, and the separate tables they’re building for themselves in the art world, instead of sitting at an existing one.

Hannah Traore (she/her)

Founder and Director, Hannah Traore Gallery, New York

What does it mean to you to be a part of a new generation of Black women shaping the art world?

It means the world to me. These are women whom I deeply respect and thoroughly studied during the process of opening my own gallery. I wouldn’t be here without their vigor, dedication, and talent, and I’m beyond honored to enter the conversation that they’ve started. Though each individual can make a large impact, there is potential for much greater change with multiple voices and mutual support. In the past year and a half while shaping the gallery, I felt that powerful support. I feel very fortunate.

Can you share your gallery’s origin story and the biggest milestone so far?

I knew I wanted to own a gallery ever since my first curatorial experience at the Tang Museum as a senior at Skidmore College. I loved the research, the creativity, and especially the interaction with artists. After years of ideating, I felt that I had a strong enough vision and ample work experience to realize the space. The hardest part was knowing where to start, but I did, and now here we are. I believe you are never truly ready for such a large undertaking until you take the leap. I felt that more and more as the work went on.

The biggest milestone thus far was the opening night of Hannah Traore Gallery. It’s one thing to work on a show and a space for months, but it’s a very different thing to see others interacting with it and having conversations about it. The show came to life. Art is meant to be seen.

What’s the mission of your gallery program? With the current state of the world, who are the artists and what are the ideas that are important to show in your space?

The mission of Hannah Traore Gallery is to work with and uplift artists who have traditionally been left out of the conversation or exploited by the New York art world. As a Black woman, I’m excited to give a real voice and agency to artists of color, queer artists, Indigenous artists, women, immigrants, older artists, and many more. I have already heard from multiple artists that I’m working with that it feels impactful to collaborate with a gallerist who can relate to them.

These artists are important at this moment, but it’s crucial to remember that they’ve always been important, despite the art world only just starting to catch up. On top of the support of artists, the gallery is excited to broaden the notion of what is deemed traditional for a gallery setting. Art is in constant dialogue with design, fashion, media, education, and the ever-changing world around us, and that will be reflected in my space.

From your lens, as a Black woman artpreneur, what are some art-world predictions for 2022 and the near future?

My biggest prediction (and desire) for 2022 and for the near future is to continue to see more incredible Black women taking up space and holding positions of power in the art world. If we continue on the trajectory from the last several years, I can count on getting my wish. I get giddy just thinking about it.

KJ Freeman (they/she)

Owner, HOUSING, New York

What does it mean to you to be a part of a new generation of Black women and nonbinary folks shaping the art world?

I’m excited to offer community to artists who need it. I enjoy collaborating with artists through exhibitions, zines, and even as a collaborator in their projects. I’m not concerned with money more than I’m concerned with supporting nuanced discussions surrounding art, culture, and philosophy.

Can you briefly share your gallery’s origin story and the biggest milestone so far?

I started the gallery with Eileen Skyers in 2017 after the Dana Schutz Open Casket controversy at the Whitney Biennial that year. She later left in 2019 to work for David Zwirner, and is now at Foundation Labs, Inc. It was my response to the anti-Blackness I experienced in the art world, and many artists of color who had a similar experience. Anti-Blackness looms everywhere, even at historic Black institutions, so HOUSING operated as an alternative to this pathway that is riddled with respectability politics. I’m not sure what the milestone would be—probably survival. The Gramercy International Prize at The Armory Show in 2021 was a milestone in relationship to gaining recognition for our programming. But surviving trumps all.

What’s the mission of your gallery program? With the current state of the world, who are the artists and what are the ideas that are important to show in your space?

I think challenging the canon consistently. I like artists who whisper because they can—and have distinguishable identities. I think of Nathaniel Oliver, Taina Cruz, Calli Roche, Sofia Moreno, Alexander Richard Wilson, Faith IceCold. I also really like Isaiah Davis’s work. I don’t think trauma needs to be consumed to validate BIPOC artists. Most collectors respect form and innovation but sometimes flatten BIPOC artists to their trauma because they can’t conceptualize conceptualism beyond the 20th-century white avant-garde.

From your lens, as a Black artpreneur, what are some art-world predictions for 2022 and the near future?

Ecology and grief. I think the New Museum Triennial peeked a hole into what artists’ concerns beyond market concerns are. Post-Abject Modernity—(a phase I’m coining)—which for many 20th-century artists nowadays is unusual. You confront many atrocities but with an unusual familiarity, and also a nulled aesthetic that is not confined to our narrow ideas in relationship to abstraction. I think Brandon Ndife, Catalina Ouyang, Nathaniel Oliver, and Harry Gould Harvey IV are artists at this helm. They’re really onto something and very meticulous, which for any 21st-century artist is unusual.

Storm Ascher (she/her)

Founder, Superposition, Nomadic

What does it mean to you to be a part of a new generation of Black women shaping the art world?

Being part of an industry that is so volatile and arbitrary means needing a lot of emotional support, no matter your background. But Black women carry a lot more pressure in all areas of life with grace. I’m proud that we have all made such strides while framing this as an ecosystem rather than a game. I’m mostly grateful to be considered as part of this long line of trailblazers because growing up in white spaces, I had to self-educate on the history of Black women creatives and leaders. Now I can say that I am living it, and witnessing legendary moves by my community that I can contribute to.

Can you briefly share your gallery’s origin story and the biggest milestone so far?

I walked into my first rented space on the install day of our inaugural exhibition and saw an entirely different pop-up that had not deinstalled in time. There were piles of clothes, huge metal installations in the ceilings, pipes in the walls, and a massive wooden cash register desk that they had no idea how to move. I was angry, but I wasn’t going to throw a tantrum because this situation was only up to me, there was no one around to fix my problem. I had rented this space and it was my responsibility to get it looking how I imagined. It was pivotal for that to happen to really test my endurance for producing exhibitions.

I helped the designers deinstall their racks and spackled the walls. Artists started arriving with their work—some of these artists I was meeting for the first time while sweating and looking clearly embarrassed. They helped me paint the walls, drill in screws, load the cars of clothing and equipment from the previous renters. That space was completely renovated by artists and I don’t think anyone would have recognized it. I looked around and saw a team form around me of people I still work with today. I get emotional thinking about the amount of spaces we are lucky enough to have access to now—like Phillips on 432 Park Avenue. I get to present their artwork in the contexts I’ve always aimed for.

What’s the mission of your gallery program? With the current state of the world, who are the artists and what are the ideas that are important to show in your space?

Superposition focuses on artists who want to instill confidence in their communities. The artwork styles are such a huge range, like Helina Metafaria’s collages or Muna Malik’s abstract paintings. As individuals, the artists are all prolific and intentional. The ideas they are working through require being unapologetic and inspiring others to do the same; they know it’s not just about them. There’s a lot of inner work, research, and self-actualization in these studios before presenting objects that can affect the masses.

From your lens, as a Black woman artpreneur, what are some art-world predictions for 2022 and the near future?

I’m hopeful that the international art world gets closer again. In 2019, you could feel the energy of a globalist art market about to explode. Nomadic personalities like mine have really been stunted since the pandemic in that regard. I was in Taiwan looking at spaces just before the shutdown, so I’m sure a lot of people are eager to be sharing in person what has been hoarded in one location the past two years. Artworks need to have a longer life of traveling before they are archived.

Nicola Vassell (she/her)

Curator and Founder, Nicola Vassell Gallery, New York

What does it mean to you to be a part of a new generation of Black women shaping the art world?

It’s an exciting new chapter and wonderful to see so many peers and friends coming into peak perfection.

Can you briefly share your gallery’s origin story and the biggest milestone so far?

We opened at the height of the pandemic, during great social and existential upheaval. I’d say having a string of high-quality group and solo exhibitions, capped by our inaugural booth at Art Basel in Miami Beach, made for a strong 2021.

What’s the mission of your gallery program? With the current state of the world, who are the artists and what are the ideas that are important to show in your space?

The gallery’s mission is to highlight artists who are creating uniquely and offering meaningful ideas, or who by virtue of their work and lives, enrich our experiences greatly.

From your lens, as a Black woman artpreneur, what are some art-world predictions for 2022 and the near future?

2022 will be a year of continued experimentation. The ground has by no means settled beneath us in terms of what the new future looks like. I imagine the daring and wishful among us will continue to probe possibilities until the suit fits.

Cierra Britton (she/her)

Director and Owner, Cierra Britton Gallery, New York

What does it mean to you to be a part of a new generation of Black women shaping the art world?

Being a part of the new generation of Black women in the arts means that I have an opportunity and obligation to create and share space with artists, in efforts to preserve and explore new thoughts, ideas, and experiences of our present moment. I believe this act of preservation and exploration will drive us into an expansive future full of opportunity that holds the culture at its core. I’ve looked up to the powerful voices of Black women in the arts who have paved the way for my generation such as Thelma Golden, “Where We At” Black Women Artists, Inc. (WWA), Adrian Piper, and many more. These women have challenged the systems of oppression that heavily exist in the arts. Black women have historically been left out of the conversation regarding political action, race, and representation and I’m very optimistic about being among Black women art dealers who are actively engaging with artists to change the narrative.

Can you briefly share your gallery’s origin story and the biggest milestone so far?

Growing up in Baltimore exposed me to an abundance of visual art and over time, I fell in love with it. I grew up with artists in my family and street art surrounding me at most corners of my community. My obsession with art made me put artists that I love on a pedestal and view them as individuals who are storytelling through visuals. Eventually, my biggest goal became opening a gallery space in New York City that is by and for creatives of color, because I wanted my community to see themselves when we walk into art-dedicated spaces. It was during my time working for ARTNOIR that I was empowered to realize my goal of cultivating a platform for artists. I dedicated the Cierra Britton Gallery to supporting womxn of color artists because of the noticeable lack of representation for women in the gallery industry. Rather than waiting to see these artists represented in these existing spaces, I decided to create a space of my own.

Our biggest milestone so far was partnering with Being Seen, a podcast hosted by Anika Noni Rose, which focuses on the Black woman experience in their third season. In co-curating the artwork for this season alongside Patti Wilson, we brought together 10 Black women artists’ works engaging in topics such as mental health, strength, freedom, and responsibility. The ability to directly engage art with these conversations for our community is a method of expression that is vital to my professional and personal life.

What’s the mission of your gallery program? With the current state of the world, who are the artists and what are the ideas that are important to show in your space?

The mission of the Cierra Britton Gallery is to uplift the voices of womxn of color artists that are bringing necessary dialogue to the culture that preserves our present and shapes our future. My intentions are to honor the artists that are creating work that will forever tell our stories, experiences, thoughts, and impact from now until forever.

Our programming offers a range of explorations that will continuously evolve just as we do. We have artists such as Nola Ayoola, whose weaved abstract paintings are a form of processing the artist’s synesthesia, while artists like Bre Andy’s works on paper are a personal exploration through her gaze of the nuanced individuality and influence of Black femininity. The intention is to engage in the dialogue that the work brings up and to commune with each other around those conversations.

From your lens, as a Black woman artpreneur, what are some art-world predictions for 2022 and the near future?

One of my 2022 predictions is that many more Black women art dealers will emerge across the nation. A lot of us felt a great amount of empowerment in the last few years to put the foot on the gas in bringing forth our galleries; for me, a lot of that empowerment came from other Black women. There’s been a lot of genuine support for each other in my experience and it feels like we’re generally thinking of a much bigger picture that’s greater than all of us. The impact from all of these galleries will let the younger generations know that there’s opportunity for them to share their voices and be heard.

Chela Mitchell (she/her)

Art Advisor and Owner, Chela Mitchell Gallery, Washington D.C.

What does it mean to you to be a part of a new generation of Black women shaping the art world?

I’m delighted to be amongst such gifted women in the art world. I’m grateful to those who paved the way for us and most excited to see what the future holds because we’re creating it. Black women are the authors of culture, the originators, and our attention to detail and creativity knows no bounds. Being a part of this new generation feels sacred, like something delicate that I want to handle with care, and that’s what I’m doing.

Can you briefly share your gallery’s origin story and the biggest milestone so far?

The gallery was birthed out of this idea to create space in my hometown: Washington, D.C. I am still a New Yorker at heart, but I am very interested in cultivating the culture here, with many of my colleagues doing amazing work for the city. Initially, I thought I would be opening a space this year, but a unique opportunity presented itself with our inaugural opening in July of last year.

My most significant milestone has been watching Black people (especially womxn) take up space effortlessly and comfortably in the gallery. A secondary milestone would be being the first Black, women-led gallery from D.C. to show at NADA Miami 2021.

What’s the mission of your gallery program? With the current state of the world, who are the artists and what are the ideas that are important to show in your space?

We’re giving artists a platform and augmenting what they have already created. Nate Palmer and Célia Rakotondrainy are members of our program and just the most wonderful people you could ever know. Nate captures quotidian Black life in such a beautiful way. I think Blackness or some people’s perceived idea of Blackness can feel like a novelty; almost like a sweater that you can put on and take off when you’re comfortable. Nate’s photography is the opposite of this idea. His practice resonates so much with me because he shoots celebrities and everyday people with the same respect, reverence, and honor. I view Black people through that lens, too. Célia is such a magnificent painter. She’s proud to be from Madagascar and documents its natives in these vivid portraits with bold colors and dimensions. I also love Célia’s social commentary through her body paintings.

The ideas that are most important to our space are originality and expansion. I’m not interested in presenting a derivative of anything already done. We’re creating new ways of being in the art world—hyper-focused on our truth while dismantling the old structures.

From your lens, as a Black woman artpreneur, what are some art-world predictions for 2022 and the near future?

We’ve recently predicted a global move away from email marketing and launched a channel on Telegram in January 2022. The pandemic has taught us to challenge what is no longer sustainable, and email is one of our greatest challenges. What needs to be an email? How often should we check our accounts? Why do the constant notifications give us anxiety? The best thing about our channel is that you can mute notifications and catch up on all of our updates when you’re ready.

Joy Davis (she/her)

Director and Owner, Waller Gallery, Baltimore

What does it mean to you to be a part of a new generation of Black women shaping the art world?

In a word, it’s overwhelming. What a wonderful time to be rushing through the doors of opportunity created by ourselves, our elders, and our mentors! But there are challenges. I feel the tension of moving through the art world with more visibility and the responsibility of thinking beyond myself and my bubble. To elaborate, I must often ask myself: How am I uplifting voices? How am I inviting folks to the conversation? Am I listening? What are the best approaches for instilling best practices for myself and those I work with?

Can you briefly share your gallery’s origin story and the biggest milestone so far?

The origin of Waller is the legacy of the power of the Black femme voice in white spaces and the matriarchs of my family. The inspiration to start Waller was launched after talking with Black artists in New York, Baltimore, and around the country about their experiences in art school and navigating the art world. I was privileged to hear stories that ranged from great to awful and it inspired myself and my gallery family to support artists by providing a digital and physical space for them to show their work. That is the core mission that we always expand on: providing space.

We’ve had three big milestones: We’ve survived the brunt of the shift of the COVID-19 pandemic; we facilitated a micro-stipend for artists we work with; and we are now welcoming a select number of guest curators to our space.

What’s the mission of your gallery program? With the current state of the world, who are the artists and what are the ideas that are important to show in your space?

The gallery is here to provide space and get Black, Brown, and LGBTQIA+ identifying artists to as many buyers, curators, collectors, and fans as we can. We’re growing our empathy and understanding muscles to support artists in new ways like short-term representation and supporting artist development. In 2019, we started to support buyers and art enthusiasts in their first steps in collecting art.

From your lens, as a Black woman artpreneur, what are some art-world predictions for 2022 and the near future?

I’ve never considered myself an artpreneur or an art director, but I’ve been called both in 2022, so I will own it. Folks that know me know I could fill a notebook with my thoughts about the future of the art market. My latent predictions are: NFTs will persist regardless of the discourse. Finally, art and AR is being used for educational and multimodal learning (shout-out to Ada Pinkston and Safiyah Cheatam). Baltimore is and will continue to have a moment that will turn into a movement. Shout-out to Derrick Adams, Abdu Ali, Devin Allen, Lady Brion, Lawrence Burney, Kirk Shannon-Butts, Diamon Fisher, and so many more for sustaining the arts community by holding space and creating work. Lastly, museums will continue to have pressure placed on them by workers and cultures around the world.

Tariqa Waters (she/her)

Managing Director and Owner, Martyr Sauce, Seattle

What does it mean to you to be a part of a new generation of Black women shaping the art world?

It’s difficult for me to consider generations where I only see continuum and lineage. Black women have always been and will forever be the catalysts for change. We hold a particular type of grace and magic that moves mountains. The art world is no exception.

Can you briefly share your gallery’s origin story and the biggest milestone so far?

Ten years ago, Martyr Sauce started as a tiny gallery in the heart of downtown Seattle’s historic arts district, Pioneer Square. At that time, wedged in between more conventional white box galleries, Martyr Sauce stood out and quickly became recognized as the renegade disrupting the establishment art scene. What we lacked in space and resources we made up for with an abundance of creativity, defiance, humor, perseverance and a bit of luck.

Our biggest milestone was expanding and establishing a pop art museum above our underground gallery. It’s called MS PAM (Martyr Sauce Pop Art Museum).

What’s the mission of your gallery program? With the current state of the world, who are the artists and what are the ideas that are important to show in your space?

Renegades that we are, I’d be disingenuous trying to articulate a clear mission for Martyr Sauce. The gallery world seems fueled by ambition and competition, whereas I started my gallery as a conceptual art piece. That said, Martyr Sauce has been unwavering in its dedication to cultivating artistic space and community. It’s imperative for me to provide opportunities for young and emerging artists to exhibit alongside established artists. Oftentimes, that organically leads to mentorships which can be invaluable. For instance, currently exhibiting at MS PAM are multidisciplinary artist Kenji Hamai Stoll and emerging artist and musician 9 Coleman-Harvey.

From your lens, as a Black woman artpreneur, what are some art-world predictions for 2022 and the near future?

Given present day circumstances and wisdom gained, I know better than to put forth predictions. However, I will express a desire that I continue to see more challenges to the power structures of established arts organizations and institutions.

Ashara Ekundayo (she/her/they/we)

Founder and Curator, Ashara Ekundayo Gallery (Virtual and Pop-Up), Oakland

What does it mean to you to be a part of a new generation of Black women shaping the art world?

It feels powerful to be an active participant shaping the art world who identifies as a Black feminist independent curator, cultural theologian, and arts organizer with 30+ years of experience. As I witness myself inside of this historical legacy that is a multifaceted arts sector, it feels like standing inside of an infinite stream that concretizes Blackness as currency and Black futurity as reality.

Can you briefly share your gallery’s origin story and the biggest milestone so far?

I’ve had the opportunity serve as a cultural worker and thought partner in expanding the definitions of gallery and gallerist in a myriad of ways by working with artists across genre and discipline, inside of walls and on the streets, and as founder and collaborator of various venues that had been designed to hold space to think, dream, make, and exhibit. Both Omi Gallery at Impact Hub Oakland (2012–17, Oakland) and Ashara Ekundayo Gallery (2017–19, Oakland) were sites for imagination and ceremony that offered somatic and intellectual exercises in social practice and exhibition. I’m honored to currently be inside of a curatorial stewardship of my latest creative endeavor Artist As First Responder (founded in 2019), which is both a pedogeological platform and organization focused on the knowing of interdependence and liberation to financially support trauma-informed interventions and joy-informed innovations led by artists.

Our biggest milestones to date, Artist As First Responder is the completion of our two-year regranting pilot project, Reflection Fund for Artists, which in 2021 gifted over $65,000 in direct general operating mutual aid support to BIPOC artists based in Oakland, with a priority given to disabled and LGBTQI creatives. The fund served as a catalyst within the City of Oakland and is now being used as a foundation for exploring a UBI (universal basic income) model for local artists.

Additionally, we are very proud to have collaborated energies to launch three creative residencies including a partnership with Black [Space] Residency—a physical container for inquiry, activity, and rest for Black creatives co-founded by myself and interdisciplinary artist Erica Deeman. That includes our Artist-In-Residence and Omi Poet-In-Residence programs, which provide creatives access to the working studio, staging gallery, and production labs for one to three months; they’re held with care by a small group of veteran artists and curators who offer mentorship and instruction in visual arts including digital printing, printmaking, photography, ceramic arts, and woodworks. Birthed at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Black [Space] Residency has hosted 18 Black creatives to date.

What’s the mission of your gallery program? With the current state of the world, who are the artists and what are the ideas that are important to show in your space?

The mission of Artist As First Responder is to reimagine and reify artists’ fundamental purpose within society and place us as essential workers. Our work insists that the stories of Black and Indigenous people and our kindred do not place us as spectators to our own trauma and enslavement, but rather as architects of civilization and oracles of healing.

It’s important to me at this time to be deeply committed to an intergenerational conversation around our cultural survival and art practices that simultaneously illuminate the historical and newly transformative legacies of Black creativity. Ideas that extend and accelerate our imagination of possible futures available to us must lead our curatorial practices, coupled with our commitment to educating each other with grace and patience regarding Black Insistence, Queerness as Strategy, Abolitionist Aesthetics, and Black Women Resting. Some of the living and ancestral thinkers, organizers, artists, and arts collectives whose ideas and work practices align with our spiritual cosmology and philosophical politic at Artist As First Responder include: The Blacksmiths, Kara Walker, James Baldwin, Tongo Eisen-Martin, For Freedoms, Wangechi Mutu, Saul Williams, Bryant Terry, Aisha Shillingford, Ash Baccus-Clark, Alison Saar, Larry Ossei-Mensah, Deanna Van Buren, Carrie Mae Weems, Theaster Gates, Toni Morrison, Patrisse Cullors, Mary Lovelace O’Neal, and Simone Leigh, just to name a very few.

From your lens, as a Black woman artpreneur, what are some art-world predictions for 2022 and the near future?

I predict that more Black women and femme curators will emerge within the sector and will create international liberatory spaces and arts institutions that center the myriad Black imagination practices that summon and support cultural remedies to heal the mind-body-spirit trauma incited by legacies of white supremacy, patriarchy, and racialized capitalism (e.g., IBCA, Institute for Black Contemporary Arts across the African Diaspora!). I also predict that Black women creatives will continue to reassess our work/production value vs. our self-care/well-being value and continue to take more space for our personal happiness and prioritize rest and pleasure.

Adenrele Sonariwo (she/her)

Founder and Owner of Rele Gallery, Los Angeles and Lagos

What does it mean to you to be a part of a new generation of Black women shaping the art world?

It’s an amazing time to be alive and such an honor to be a part of the conversation on art from Africa. There is a lot of great work being done right now in the continent and I think it’s important to have institutions and platforms where this work can be appreciated, creating interesting and diverse narratives on contemporary art from Africa.

Can you briefly share your gallery’s origin story and the biggest milestone so far?

Since opening in 2015, the gallery has held group exhibitions featuring emerging and prominent artists from across Africa. Our biggest milestones would be opening our Los Angeles gallery in 2021 and the relocation of our Lagos gallery to a new space this February.

What’s the mission of your gallery program? With the current state of the world, who are the artists and what are the ideas that are important to show in your space?

Rele Gallery is focused on situating art and artists from Africa in broader contexts as well as acting as a critical interface between the African and international art worlds. We are interested in artists whose work pushes the limits of their practice as well as critically engaging social and aesthetic ideas.

What’s the mission of your gallery program? With the current state of the world, who are the artists and what are the ideas that are important to show in your space?

Rele Gallery is focused on situating art and artists from Africa in broader contexts as well as acting as a critical interface between the African and international art worlds. We are interested in artists whose work pushes the limits of their practice as well as critically engaging social and aesthetic ideas.

From your lens, as a Black woman artpreneur, what are some art-world predictions for 2022 and the near future?

I think we’ll see more African artists on global stages, as well as a more concerted effort by collectors in engaging the critical work being done. I also think we’ll see the rise of more galleries, fairs, and artist-run spaces.

Dominique Clayton (she/her)

Founder and Owner, Dominique Gallery, Los Angeles

What does it mean to you to be a part of a new generation of Black women shaping the art world?

I feel the deepest honor and privilege to be part of a group of Black women doing this work. I grew up witnessing my mother do her very best to usher me into a world where I can be and do anything I want. Private schools, dance, music, acting lessons, trips to the theater, French tutors, and more—all so I could experience arts and culture in ways that she never did. All of it changed my entire world view and gave me a deep appreciation for talent and aesthetics, which is also a vehicle for happiness and inspiration.

Can you briefly share your gallery’s origin story and the biggest milestone so far?

If you’d asked me if I’d be working in the art world 10 years ago, my answer would’ve been no. I studied film, writing, and African American studies in school, thinking I’d be a writer and filmmaker, traveling the world to make documentaries. Then, after years of working in film and TV production at Paramount Pictures, living in West Africa, and later assisting Lee Daniels, I ended up working as an artist services rep at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the oldest performing arts venue in New York City.

From there, I found myself rooted in this beautiful environment of artists and spent breaks in the lobby which housed rotations of art installations. Soon after, I became a regular at the nearby Brooklyn Museum and MOCADA, where I met my husband, Mustafa Ali Clayton, an artist. I was really infatuated with him and his commitment to his craft, which became increasingly challenging as we started our family. The aha moment came a few years later in 2015, when we settled back in L.A., my hometown, and found a modest storefront space in West Adams (before the gentrification), which doubled as a studio and gallery. We opened with a solo exhibition of Mustafa’s sculptures when I was eight months pregnant with our third daughter.

I had this vision that I would continue organizing shows, discovering artists, and making a big impact in the neighborhood, which was rapidly changing. I had to take a pause to adjust to having three kids under age five and didn’t get back to that work until two years later, reopening under a new name, Dominique Gallery, in the summer of 2018. The biggest milestone so far was just last year: three in-person art fairs in three cities during a pandemic. The artists I showed included Khidr Joseph, Elizabeth Axtman, Marryam Moma, Sarah Stefana Smith, Hasef, and Adee Roberson.