Photo Credit: Gediyon-Kifle 
Dr. Cheryl Finley has spent much of her career building opportunities for other people. Whether through scholarship, curatorial work, mentorship, or institutional partnerships, the Spelman College professor has consistently focused on creating >2026 David C. Driskell Prize, the first national award dedicated specifically to contributions in African American art and art history. Presented annually by the Atlanta institution, the award recognizes artists and scholars whose work continues expanding conversations around Black art and its place within the broader history of visual culture. Previous recipients include Amy Sherald, Mark Bradford, Naomi Beckwith, Rashid Johnson, Valerie Cassel Oliver, and Alison Saar, among others.
This prestigious recognition carries both personal and professional significance because of Finley’s relationship with Driskell himself, the celebrated artist, scholar, and educator for whom the prize is named. “The David C. Driskell Prize recognizes genealogies of teaching, mentorship, artmaking, collaboration and leadership in the field of African American art,” she tells ESSENCE. “It also validates the profound impact African American art has had and will continue to have on the global arts ecosystem.”
Finley currently serves as the Walton Endowed Professor in David C. Driskell Prize High Museum of Art
The post High Museum Of Art Names Cheryl Finley As 2026 Recipient For Driskell Prize appeared first on Essence.
Author: Okla Jones
Read the original article on Essence.
Leave a Reply