Alicia Henry, textile artist exploring Black figuration, dies at 58
Alicia Henry, an acclaimed American artist known for her textile art that delves into themes like family, identity, beauty, and the body, has sadly passed away. Her pieces often featured faces and masks, such as in her 2019 work, Untitled (13 female figures), which depicts a goddess-like Black woman in a bird headdress and traditional African textiles, alongside two silhouetted girls. This artwork used a diverse mix of materials, from acrylic to wool. Another significant piece, Untitled (cluster) (2019), showcases several ethereal figures. Henry had numerous exhibitions, including ones at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia in 2022 and The Power Plant in Toronto in 2019. She also taught art at Fisk University, a historic Black institution in Nashville.
Key facts
- Alicia Henry has died.
- Her textile work explored Black figuration, family, beauty, the body, and identity.
- Faces and masks were prominent in her work.
- Untitled (13 female figures) (2019) depicts a goddesslike Black female figure with a bird headdress and traditional African textile dress.
- Materials included acrylic, dye, thread, charcoal, pastel, graphite, coloured pencil, yarn, cotton, rayon, linen, wool, felt, canvas, paper, wood, cardboard, nails.
- Untitled (cluster) (2019) features a crowd of stripped-down figures.
- Henry's Ghanaian mask collection inspired fabric collages.
- She exhibited at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (2022), Southern Alberta Art Gallery (2019), The Power Plant, Toronto (2019), Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville (2016), Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney (2012), Nashville International Airport (2002), Cheekwood Museum, Nashville (2000), Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City (1997), and Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh (1996).
- Henry was a professor of art at Fisk University in Nashville.
Entities
Artists
- Alicia Henry
Institutions
- Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
- Southern Alberta Art Gallery
- The Power Plant
- Frist Center for the Visual Arts
- Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
- Nashville International Airport
- Cheekwood Museum
- Whitney Museum of American Art
- Carnegie Museum of Art
- Fisk University
Locations
- Nova Scotia
- Canada
- Alberta
- Toronto
- Nashville
- United States
- Sydney
- Australia
- New York City
- Pittsburgh