Join for an inspiring evening with Tschabalala Self. The artist will discuss her innovative practice, the evolving tradition of Black figuration, and how contemporary artists are redefining representation through painting, collage, and textile-based works.

The artist will be in conversation with arts writer and curator Halima Taha, exploring art, identity, and the power of representation—an exchange shaped by the legacy of Romare Bearden and the historic Cinque Gallery. Together, they will consider how artists across generations use visual language to reimagine Black life for a new era.

Her connection to Bearden runs deep. Self has named Romare Bearden as a key influence—particularly his attention to Black everyday life, collage, Harlem, and the city.

Tschabalala’s work is featured in the exhibit Children’s Art Carnival in Harlem: The Making of Contemporary Artists at the Wallach Art Gallery, Columbia University in New York. On view through September 13, 2026.

About the artist Tschabalala Self

Born in Harlem in 1990. The artist lives and works in the Hudson Valley, New York. Self is an artist who builds a singular style from the syncretic use of painting, printmaking and sculpture to explore ideas surrounding figuration. She constructs depictions of predominantly women using a combination of sewn, printed, and painted materials, traversing different artistic and craft traditions. The formal and conceptual aspects of Self’s work seek to expand her critical inquiry into selfhood and human flourishing. Recent solo exhibitions and performances include Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne (2025); Longlati Foundation, Shanghai (2025); Espoo Museum of Modern Art, Finland (2024); Kunstmuseum, St. Gallen (2023); Le Consortium, Dijon (2022); Performa 2021 Biennial, New York City (2021); Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore (2021); ICA, Boston (2020); among others.

Self’s work is included in collections such as Albertina Museum, Vienna, Austria; The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, USA; Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, USA; Consortium Museum, Dijon, France; Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, USA; The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington DC, USA; ICA Boston, Boston, USA; Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, USA; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, USA; Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris, Paris, France; Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA; New Museum, New York, USA; Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, Germany; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, USA; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, USA; Stedelijk Museum Collection, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Studio Museum Harlem, New York, USA; and Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, USA; among others. (from

https://tschabalalaself.com/

Halima Taha is an arts professional whose curatorial, advisory, appraisal, strategic planning, and professional speaking work develops corporate, academic, and civic programs and audiences. She is the Principal of Taha thinks LLC, a cultural strategy and arts management consultancy focused on legacy stewardship, valuation, governance, and long‑range planning for artists, estates, collectors, and institutions.

Join us on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, for a virtual conversation exploring art, identity, and the power of representation.