Brenna Youngblood facts for kids

Brenna Youngblood, born in 1979, is an American artist. She lives in Los Angeles. Brenna is famous for her art. She makes photographic collages, sculptures, and paintings. Her art often looks at what it means to be African-American. It also explores how African-Americans are shown in art.

Her Journey in Art

Brenna went to college to study art. She earned her first degree, a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), in 2002. This was at California State University, Long Beach. There, artist Todd Gray became her teacher and guide. Later, in 2006, she earned her Master of Fine Arts (MFA). This was from the University of California, Los Angeles. She learned from famous artists like Catherine Opie and James Welling.

What Brenna Youngblood Creates

Brenna Youngblood's art often refers to important moments. It also highlights groups in African-American history. For example, her 2017 sculpture M.I.A. is one such piece. It reminds us of the Montgomery Improvement Association. This group helped lead the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of its leaders.

Exhibitions and Shows

Brenna Youngblood has had many art shows. She has held 21 solo exhibitions. These shows happened between 2006 and 2021. Her very first solo show was at the Hammer Museum in 2006. It was called Hammer Projects: Brenna Youngblood. This happened while she was still a student at UCLA.

After that, her art was shown in many galleries. These included Margo Leavin Gallery and Susanne Vielmetter. She also had shows with art dealers like Jack Tilton and Honor Fraser. Her work has been seen in Paris and Brussels. This was through Galerie Nathalie Obadia.

Brenna has also been part of 96 group exhibitions. These shows took place from 2004 to 2023. Many of her exhibitions have been in Los Angeles and New York City.

Where Her Art Is Kept

Brenna Youngblood's art is part of many important collections. You can find her work at the Seattle Art Museum. It is also at the Los Angeles Museum of Art. Other places include the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Hammer Museum. The Studio Museum in Harlem also has her pieces.

Her art is also in collections like the JP Morgan Chase Art Collection. The Kadist Foundation and The Blake Byrne Collection own her work too. In 2019, her art was part of a traveling exhibition. It was called Young, Gifted, and Black: The Lumpkin-Boccuzzi Family Collection of Contemporary Art.

Awards and Recognition

Brenna Youngblood has received several awards for her art.

• In 2015, she won the Gwendolyn Knight/Jacob Lawrence Prize. This was from the Seattle Art Museum.
• In 2014, she was recognized by The Hermitage Artist Retreat.
• In 2012, she received the Young Talent Award/AHAN Award. This was from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.