Photograph by Tara Geyer, Courtesy of ALMA | LEWIS

About

A | L examines the intersection between art and equity in ways that provoke thought and discourse. We provide greater exposure to artists by facilitating studio visits with curators, collectors, critics, patrons, peers, and enthusiasts.

Our Mission

ALMA | LEWIS (A | L) is an experimental contemporary art platform for critical thinking, constructive dialogue, and creative expression dedicated to Black culture.

A | L fulfills this mission by:

creating supportive residencies in the A | L art space that encourage the rigorous artistic practice of visual and literary artists.
curating world-class exhibitions to present exciting, provocative work from emerging and mid-career artists.
providing access to the Black Archive — a research and reading space for art historians, scholars, writers, and artists that features rare and non-circulating books, publications, and artifacts of Black history, culture, and art.

ALMA | LEWIS is a space for rigorous artists to build sustainable art practices and share their work with a wider audience in ways that are transformative for artist and audience both. A | L is a microscope for thought-provoking examination of the intersection where art and equity meet. A | L is a conservator of Black history and culture. A | L is a home and a hub within the broader eco-system of the arts community.

Abdul Aziz, Reclaiming Echoes: A Reflection of African Culture and Legacy. Photograph by Catherine Acevedo, Courtesy of ALMA | LEWIS

Our Story

Created by founding executive director and chief curator Kilolo Luckett, A | L seeks to build community by preserving and celebrating Black identity and aesthetics, and strives to be a cultural hub and resource for contemporary art. Through our work, A | L is committed to:

presenting cutting-edge exhibitions
hosting visual and literary artist residencies and studio visits
documenting Black creativity
offering thought-provoking public programs
publishing literary materials to build scholarship on artists of African descent and Black culture
maintaining a diligent research archive of books, publications, and artifacts

Sonia Layne-Gartside and Kilolo Luckett. Photograph by Tara Geyer, Courtesy of ALMA | LEWIS

Jack Whitten, Photograph of Alma Thomas at Whitney Museum of American Art exhibition opening, 1972, Alma Thomas papers, circa 1894-2001. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Norman Lewis (undated), photographer unknown

Our Name

ALMA | LEWIS is the convergence of the names of two influential African American abstract artists who were very active in the first half of the 20th century: Alma Thomas and Norman Lewis.

Alma Thomas (1891 – 1978) and Norman Lewis (1909 – 1979) are two of Kilolo Luckett’s favorite artists. In 1972, Alma Thomas was the first African American woman to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Norman Lewis became the first Black artist to win the top prize at the Carnegie International, Carnegie Museum of Art, in 1955.