In Conversation: Will Wilson Headlines Summer Exhibitions at the Albany Museum of Art
The Opening Reception Is Thursday, May 15; Family Opening Day is Saturday, May 17
In Conversation: Will Wilson, with support from Art Bridges, headlines the summer exhibition season that opens with an evening reception on Thursday, May 15, at the Albany Museum of Art.
In addition to the Wilson exhibition in the Haley Gallery, South African artist Buqaqawuli Nobakada’s first U.S. exhibition, Her Ladyship, Countess of Kumakala, will open in the East and Hodges galleries. Hues of Skin and Earth, works by Atlanta artist Jamele Wright, Sr., will open in the McCormack Gallery.
“This is a landmark moment for the Albany Museum of Art as we proudly present the work of three visionary, cutting-edge artists—Wilson, Nobakada, and Wright—whose bold and brilliant creations challenge convention and reframe how we see Indigenous North Americans, Black Women, and Black Americans,” AMA Executive Director Andrew J. Wulf, Ph.D., said.
“Their work is unflinching and luminous—at once celebratory, provocative, and deeply empowering,” Wulf said. “To exhibit these three extraordinary artists of color together for the first time in our region is both a privilege and a powerful statement. With this exhibition, the AMA not only elevates vital voices but also expands the expectations of what an American Alliance of Museums–accredited institution can and should spotlight, both in terms of artistic excellence and cultural relevance.”
An opening reception for the summer exhibitions starts at 5:30 pm on May 15 at the museum, 311 Meadowlark Drive. The event is free for AMA donors at the Reciprocal level or higher, $10 for Artist Guild donors, and $15 for the general public. The RSVP link can be found HERE.
Family Opening Day follows 10 am-5 pm on Saturday, May 17. Kids can win prizes by completing a scavenger hunt through the galleries, and AMAzing Space will be open all day for creative play. Families can also work on take-home art projects from 10 am to 1 pm in the AMA Classroom. Admission and the Saturday activities are free.
The trio of exhibitions will be open through Saturday, Aug 16. Admission is free.
In Conversation: Will Wilson brings into dialogue the contemporary works by the Diné (Navajo) photographer through his ongoing Critical Indigenous Photographic Exchange, or CIPX, project with those of photographer Edward Sheriff Curtis (1868-1952), who dedicated more than 30 years of his life to documenting over 75 Indigenous North American groups.
Wilson’s photography is created in full collaboration with the individuals he photographs. This collaborative spirit contrasts with Curtis, who often provided props and suggested sitters wear their finest clothing or ceremonial attire despite posing for everyday tasks to create romantic archetypes. Such depictions of Native Americans have lingered in the American consciousness for decades and have not allowed much room for Indigenous groups to reclaim any agency in how they want to be depicted. Wilson’s goal is to change that.
Wilson also brings his photographs into the 21st century by utilizing Augmented Reality (AR) technology to make some of his tintypes “talk.” By downloading the free app Talking Tintypes, which was developed by Wilson, AMA visitors can experience a new depth to these select tintypes and feel like they, too, are a part of the conversation.
In Her Ladyship, Countess of Cumakala, Nobakada brings out the beauty in womanhood and sisterhood through her lace paper artworks and Black feminist perspective. The artist calls this practice, “performative visuality,” noting the meticulous care that goes into make-up, hair styling, and clothing choices Black women make. Nobakada considers beauty as an element of luxury, sexual liberation, and confidence.
Wright is the awardee of the AMA’s inaugural open-call search for Georgia-based artists for a solo exhibition. The jury selected his work out of the nearly two dozen submissions.
His exhibition, Hues of Skin and Earth, offers an immersive and imaginative experience bringing about memories, feelings, and experiences interconnected with color, shape, and form. When creating the body of work on exhibit, the artist was inspired by the notion of brown artwork and paintings being unpopular or undesired. In breaking the color down into reds, oranges, yellows, blues, and greens, Wright rethinks color associations and hue, placing his body of work in conversation with classical depictions of landscapes from the Hudson River School, to the visual world of Technicolor in film from the early-mid 20th century.
AMA EXHIBITIONS
- In Conversation: Will Wilson, with support from Art Bridges, is May 15-Aug 16, 2025, in the Haley Gallery.
- Buqaqawuli Nobakada: Her Ladyship, Countess of Cumakala is May 15-Aug 16, 2025, in the East and Hodges Galleries.
- Hues of Skin and Earth, works by Jamele Wright, Sr., is May 15-Aug 16, 2025, in the McCormack Gallery.
- 20th Century Small Works on Paper from the Permanent Collection is in the West Gallery.
ABOUT THE ALBANY MUSEUM OF ART
The Albany Museum of Art is located at 311 Meadowlark Drive in Albany, Ga., adjacent to Albany State University West Campus just off Gillionville Road. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The Albany Museum of Art is open to the public 10 am-5 pm Tuesdays through Saturdays. Admission is free.
For more information about the AMA please visit our website, www.albanymuseum.com, or call 229.439.8400. Be sure to follow AlbanyMuseumOfArt on Facebook and AlbanyMuseum on Instagram.
