Love Supreme: African American Artists at La Criée

The 'Love Supreme' exhibition, hosted at La Criée in Rennes, France, from March 30 to May 26, 2006, stemmed from Elvan Zabunyan's research on the underrepresentation of African American artists since the 1960s in both the US and Europe. Centering on themes of identity and multiculturalism, the exhibition emphasized photography and video due to spatial limitations, excluding installation and performance art. It showcased predominantly female artists across two generations: those from the 1970s-80s (including David Hammons, Senga Nengudi, Lorraine O'Grady, Carrie Mae Weems, and Adrian Piper) and the 1980s-90s (featuring Renée Green, Lyle Ashton Harris, and Lorna Simpson). Notably, Adrian Piper's 'Funk Lessons' (1983), documented by Sam Samore, and 'The Mythic Being' series challenged conventional categorization. Senga Nengudi recreated lost 1970s pieces using sand-filled nylon stockings, while Lyle Ashton Harris displayed large-format photos titled 'Miss America' and 'Man and Woman #2'. Renée Green added films and a word frieze, fostering a reflective and auditory atmosphere. The exhibition received a review from Jean-Marc Huitorel.