The Black West in Color
Ivan McClellan (American, b. 1982)
Kortnee Solomon, n.d.
The Black West in Color
Sept. 3 - Oct. 11, 2026
Opening Reception: Sept. 23
5–7 p.m.
Gallery hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 12–5 p.m.
The List Gallery of Swarthmore College is pleased to present The Black West in Color, an exhibition celebrating the historical and contemporary significance of Black Western heritage in America through the work of artists whose diverse practices explore race, identity, cultural legacy, representation, and memory. Presented during America's semiquincentennial and amid a renewed cultural interest in the Black cowboy, the exhibition examines how the myth and reality of the American West continue to shape our understanding of the nation's past and present.
Featured artists include Praise Fuller, Rick Gerrity, Keith Jackson, Charles H. Lee, Ivan McClellan, Vinetta Miller, and Nate Young. Their work is presented alongside historical photographs, archival ephemera, and a selection of prints by photographer Ron Tarver, associate professor of art and curator of the exhibition, creating a dialogue between historical record and contemporary artistic interpretation.
Keith Jackson (American, b. 1966)
Urban Cowboy, 2025
Oil on canvas, 60 × 48 inches
Tarver has dedicated more than 30 years to documenting Black Western culture and correcting the American cowboy narrative.
“We all built this country,” says Tarver, “and to remind people that we were in this culture and have been for a long time is important.”
This exhibition is made possible in part by the William J. Cooper Foundation, as part of the Black Western Culture through Music, Film & Art event series.
