« A Force for Change » an intergenerational, global and interdisciplinary exhibition at UN WOMEN

From July 27 to 31, the exhibition « A Force for Change » was held at UN Women in New York, USA, featuring the works of 26 Black women artists who respond to the United Nations’ mission of gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Open to the general public, « A Force for Change » is designed to showcase the revolutionary power of Black women’s art in the social equity movement and to support the global Black women’s agenda being developed by UN Women. 

The exhibition will be accompanied by online discussions about the work of artists in social justice movements and about Black women and the art market.  

Works from the exhibition will be available for purchase on Artsy through July 30, 2021, with half of the proceeds going to fund UN Women‘s new Global Black Women’s Program, designed to support women of African descent in Africa and the diaspora through extensive programming focused on economic empowerment of the creative industries, linking women’s developments in the diaspora to strengthen their voices, actions, and influences, and addressing violence against women.

The remaining 50% of the sale will go directly to the participating artists. In addition, to protect the artists, the buyers will agree not to sell the work for approximately five years, give the artists the right of first refusal in the event of resale, and donate 15% of the sale price to the artists in the event the works are sold.

« A Force for Change » is an exhibition featuring artists living and working in South Africa, Senegal, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Kenya, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Barbados, Brazil, Somalia, Tanzania, United Kingdom and the United States.

« A Force for Change » introduces nuanced counter-narratives about women of African descent across various mediums such as photography, painting, drawing, sculpture and film in which the central person is the black woman. Various artists such as Tschabalala Self, Akosua Adoma Owusu, Andrea Chung, Phoebe Boswell, Wura Natasha Ogunji, Sungi Mlengeya, Shinique Smith, Deborah Roberts, Rosana Paulino, Janaina Barros, Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi, Zohra Opoku, Esther Mahlangu, Ayan Farah, Nandipha Mntambo, Selly Raby Kane, Zina Saro Wiwa, Wangari Mathenge, Virginia Chihota, Cinthia Sifa Mulanga, Yelaine Rodriguez, Cassi Namoda, Sheena Rose, Joiri Minaya, Joana Choumali, and Zanele Muholi have contributed their work.