The International African American Museum (IAAM) is reminding media members, visitors, and supporters that its renowned special exhibition, Unsettled Things: Art from an African American South, will conclude its successful run on Sunday, May 4, 2025. This powerful and thought-provoking exhibition has captivated audiences through its exploration of the diverse artistic expressions and experiences of Black artists rooted in the American South.
The exhibition was organized by the Ackland Art Museum at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with support from national tour sponsor Bank of America. Additional backing comes from major sponsor Tim W. Hughes and Gail Coutcher-Hughes, and contributing sponsor the Herzman-Fishman Charitable Fund.
Unsettled Things features a compelling collection of works spanning various mediums, including painting, sculpture, photography and mixed media. With 44 works by 28 artists, the exhibition challenges traditional hierarchies and showcases the brilliance of often-overlooked Black artists from the South. It delves into themes of life, spirit and materiality that have helped transform American art and shape the Black Southern experience. Visitors have praised the exhibition at IAAM for its insightful curation and the meaningful dialogue it inspires.
IAAM encourages those who have not yet experienced Unsettled Things to visit before it departs on May 4. This is a unique opportunity to engage with the rich artistic heritage and contemporary voices of the African American South within the museum’s inspiring setting.
“Unsettled Things invites us to reimagine the boundaries of art. Each piece in the exhibition carries a personal history — a reflection of struggle, resilience and connection,” said Martina Morale, IAAM’s director of curatorial and special exhibitions. “Curated by the late Bernard L. Herman and Lauren Turner, Unsettled Things reveals how everyday materials can be transformed into powerful artworks that speak to both personal and collective experiences.”
Don’t Miss April 10 Program: "Unsettled & Unfinished: The Ongoing Story of Black Southern Artistry"
In conjunction with its ongoing special exhibition, IAAM will present the program Unsettled & Unfinished: The Ongoing Story of Black Southern Artistry on Thursday, April 10, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Taking place less than a month before Unsettled Things concludes, the event will further explore the enduring legacy and evolving narratives of Black artistic production in the South.
“Unsettled & Unfinished expands on the exhibition’s central themes by creating space for reflection on the ongoing evolution of Black Southern creative identity,” said Brandon Reid, IAAM’s public historian. “Rather than focusing on individual works, this program centers lived experience and artistic practice as key ways of engaging ideas of place, memory and material tradition. In doing so, it highlights how contemporary Black artists both inherit and reshape the cultural narratives of the South.”
This event promises to be engaging and informative for art enthusiasts and those interested in the ongoing story of Black creativity. The evening begins with a tour of the exhibition from 6:30 to 7 p.m., followed by a thought-provoking discussion led by Morale. Joining her are Charleston sweetgrass specialist Corey Alston and Southern artist and quilter LaToya Thompson, who will share their artistic journeys and explore how Southern Black traditions continue to shape contemporary artistry.
