Spelman College has an established history of sharing artworks from its collection with other museums and institutions to promote their presentation to the public. In 1977, the College proudly loaned the paintings Four Figurations (1952) and Celestial Gate (1953) by Hale Woodruff to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for their inclusion in Two Centuries of Black American Art, which later traveled to Atlanta’s High Museum of Art, the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, and the Brooklyn Museum. Spearheaded by guest curator David. C. Driskell, this landmark exhibition is now recognized as the first comprehensive survey of African American art. Another work featured in the exhibition — Mother and Child (1968) by Selma Burke — was bequeathed to Spelman by the artist in 1995. Rich histories such as these are foundational examples of the College’s longstanding belief that works of art provide opportunities for discovery and should, therefore, be exhibited and shared. As a result, works from Spelman’s collection have been featured in exhibitions in the region, around the country, and throughout the world, ultimately serving as ambassadors for the College. 

We hope that you will have an opportunity to view works from the Spelman College Collection either on campus or while they are on loan to other institutions. We invite you to return to this page regularly to learn more about where works from the collection will be featured in upcoming exhibitions.