Collective Yearning

Grace Lynne Haynes

ISBN 10: 1978842848 / ISBN 13: 9781978842847

Published by Rutgers University Press, US, 2026

About this Item

When Rutgers professor Amber N. Wiley began teaching her African American Art class in 2018, she and her students made a shocking discovery. While the university's Zimmerli Art Museum had over seventy thousand artworks in its collection, only one of the pieces on display was by a Black American woman. The students, who came from a variety of majors and reflected the ethnic diversity of New Jersey itself, agreed something needed to be done to correct this imbalance. And so begins the story of the groundbreaking exhibition: Collective Yearning.In this book, Wiley tells the story of how she and her student curators took a deep dive into the Zimmerli's holdings to recover, catalog, and display its art by Black women. Along the way, contributors discuss the ethics of curation, the history of African American expressive traditions, and the institutional biases that erase or marginalize Black female perspectives. Richly illustrated with pieces from the exhibition, including little-seen work by such visionaries as Faith Ringgold, Renée Stout, and Kara Walker, Collective Yearning makes a powerful statement on the importance of showcasing Black women artists.

Seller Inventory # LU-9781978842847

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Collective Yearning
• Publisher: Rutgers University Press, US
• Publication Date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1978842848
• ISBN 13: 9781978842847
• Binding: Hardback
• Condition: New
• Weight: 626 grams

About this title

Synopsis

When Rutgers professor Amber N. Wiley began teaching her African American Art class in 2018, she and her students made a shocking discovery. While the university’s Zimmerli Art Museum had over seventy thousand artworks in its collection, only one of the pieces on display was by a Black American woman. The students, who came from a variety of majors and reflected the ethnic diversity of New Jersey itself, agreed something needed to be done to correct this imbalance. And so begins the story of the groundbreaking exhibition: Collective Yearning.

In this book, Wiley tells the story of how she and her student curators took a deep dive into the Zimmerli’s holdings to recover, catalog, and display its art by Black women. Along the way, contributors discuss the ethics of curation, the history of African American expressive traditions, and the institutional biases that erase or marginalize Black female perspectives. Richly illustrated with pieces from the exhibition, including little-seen work by such visionaries as Faith Ringgold, Renée Stout, and Kara Walker, Collective Yearning makes a powerful statement on the importance of showcasing Black women artists. 

About the Author

AMBER N. WILEY is an Associate Professor of planning, landscape architecture and design in the Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture at the University of Oklahoma, where she directs the Institute for Quality Communities. An expert on architecture, design, and preservation in Black communities, her books include Model Schools in the Model City: Race, Planning, and Education in the Nation's Capital.