Hannah Black facts for kids

Hannah Black is a British visual artist, critic, and writer. She creates art using videos, written texts, and performances.

Early Life and Education

Hannah Black was born in 1981 in Manchester, England. She now lives in New York City.

She studied English Literature at King's College, Cambridge, finishing in 2003. Later, in 2013, she earned a Master's degree in art writing from Goldsmiths College, University of London.

Artistic Career

After getting her Master's degree, Hannah Black moved to New York City. There, she joined the Whitney Independent Study Program.

Her art often explores big ideas. These include how global money systems work, feminist ideas, the human body, and how power affects society. The London gallery Arcadia Missa represents her work.

Black also worked as an editor for a New York magazine called The New Inquiry. In 2016, she published her first book of writings, Dark Pool Party. This book contains seven texts that mix different styles, like fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.

The Open Casket Debate

In March 2017, Hannah Black wrote an open letter. It was about a painting called Open Casket by artist Dana Schutz. This painting was shown at the Whitney Biennial, a big art exhibition.

Black's letter asked for the painting to be removed and even destroyed. This was because the painting showed Emmett Till, a Black teenager who was murdered in 1955. His death was a key moment in the Civil Rights Movement.

Black's letter started a huge debate in the art world. People argued about race, what art should show, and free speech. This discussion gained attention around the world.

The Tear Gas Biennial

In 2019, Black, along with Ciarán Finlayson and Tobi Haslett, wrote an important article. It was published in Artforum magazine and was called The Tear Gas Biennial.

This article criticized Warren Kanders, who was a co-chair on the board of the Whitney Museum. Kanders had given a lot of money to the museum. However, his money came from his company, Safariland, which makes riot gear and tear gas. Tear gas is a chemical weapon used by police and military.

The article pointed out that tear gas is not allowed in international military conflicts. Yet, it was being used against peaceful protesters and migrants. Many artists showing their work at the Biennial demanded their art be removed. This put a lot of pressure on the museum.

Because of this pressure, Warren Kanders eventually stepped down from his position at the museum. The article played a big part in this decision. It also helped the museum decide to stop taking money from sources connected to military weapons and violence.

Exhibitions and Performances

Hannah Black has shown her art in many places around the world. These include solo and group exhibitions in cities like Geneva, New York, London, Vienna, Paris, Mexico City, and Los Angeles.

She has also given performances, shown her videos, and participated in talks at famous museums. Some of these include MoMA PS1 in New York, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London.