On view at The Met Fifth Avenue from February 25 through July 28, 2024, The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism is a groundbreaking exhibition exploring the comprehensive and far-reaching ways in which Black artists have portrayed everyday modern life.
In the first half of the 20th century, millions of African Americans moved away from the segregated rural South in what became known as the Great Migration, and brought about the so-called Harlem Renaissance by revitalizing New York City’s Harlem neighborhood with exceptional art, music, dance, theater, and more.
Featuring some 160 works of painting, sculpture, photography, film, and ephemera by such distinguished artists as Archibald Motley, Augusta Savage, and James Van Der Zee, The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism is the first museum survey of the subject to take place in New York City since 1987.
Shop our selection of Harlem-inspired items below.
The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism
In the 1920s and 30s, Upper Manhattan became the center of an explosion of art, writing, and ideas that has since become legendary. But what we now know as the Harlem Renaissance, the first movement of international modern art led by African Americans, extended far beyond New York City. This volume examines, for the first time, the Harlem Renaissance as part of a global flowering of Black creativity. Featuring artists such as Aaron Douglas, Archibald Motley, and William H. Johnson, who synthesized the expressive figuration of the European avant-garde with the aesthetics of African sculpture and folk art, this Met publication also includes works by lesser-known contributors who took a radically new approach to depicting Black subjects with dignity, interiority, and gravitas.
This reframing of a celebrated cultural phenomenon shows how the flow of ideas through Black artistic communities on both sides of the Atlantic contributed to international conversations around art, race, and identity while helping to define our notion of modernism.
Met Custom Prints
Order custom artworks by your favorite contributors to the inimitable Harlem art scene with Met Custom Prints. The Met Store’s custom print service offers prints in four sizes on either fine-art paper or hand-stretched heavy cotton canvas. Each Met Custom Print uses archival-quality pigment inks from high-resolution, large-format, 12-color printers.
Johnson Three Children Neckerchief
This colorful neckerchief features William Henry Johnson’s (American, 1901–1970) triple portrait of fabulously dressed girls (ca. 1940), whose vibrant hats inform the patterns on the border.
After living in Europe for more than a decade, Johnson returned to the US in 1938 and created a number of images portraying Black subjects. Johnson’s aesthetic shifted dramatically over the course of his career—he was influenced by the likes of Expressionism, African sculpture, and folk art, as is evident in the varied styles of his works.
Harlem Renaissance and Beyond Magnet Set
Enliven your space with these eye-catching magnets celebrating the art of the Harlem Renaissance and beyond.
Bearden The Block Scarf, Stationery, and Tableware
Our vibrant oblong silk scarf, notecard set, softcover journal, and lacquer tray all honor Romare Bearden's (American, 1911–1988) exuberant tribute to Harlem in The Met collection.
The Block (1971) is a celebration of the lively New York City neighborhood that nurtured Bearden's life and work. Each of its six panels represents an aspect of local life, from the barbershop to the corner store. Though he was born in North Carolina, Bearden spent formative time in Harlem as a child, and in 1940, he established a studio in the same West 125th Street building as the artist Jacob Lawrence. Bearden became a prominent figure in the local community, participating in the informal artists' organization known as the 306 Group and serving as a member of the Harlem Artists Guild.
Harlem Candle Co. Home Fragrances
Enrich your space with the inspiring scents of the Harlem Renaissance. Luxury home fragrance brand Harlem Candle Co. presents scented candles and reed diffusers that evoke Harlem’s rich history and culture.
The Savoy Ballroom was a legendary Harlem dance hall on Lenox Avenue between 140th and 141st Streets. The Savoy Reed Diffuser, including an attractive amber apothecary bottle and high-absorbency rattan reeds, conjures the glamour and excitement of this iconic Jazz Age destination with luscious overtures of black currant, mandarin, green apple, and pear. These sumptuous notes evolve into a floral heart of lily of the valley and jasmine, balanced with sandalwood and sheer musk.
The Lady Day Candle burns for the incomparable jazz singer Billie Holiday, who lit up Harlem nightclubs with her torchy tones. Inspired by the white gardenia she always wore in her hair, a bright opening of lush green leaves, neroli blossom, and sparkling bergamot lead to a velvet heart of gardenia, jasmine petals, and ylang-ylang. Coffee flower adds a spicy nuance, while a warm base of coconut milk, sandalwood, and vetiver provide the perfect finish to this intoxicating blend that's equal parts vibrant and full-bodied, graceful and delicate—just like Lady Day.
What the Artist Saw: Faith Ringgold
This charming illustrated book created in collaboration with The Met introduces young art enthusiasts to the artist and activist Faith Ringgold (American, b. 1930). Travel with her from Harlem to Ghana and Nigeria, and learn about what led her to mix media and weave powerful stories into quilts. Readers are then encouraged to choose a meaningful cause and transform it into a work of art.
Explore our full range of stationery, books, and accessories celebrating the Harlem Renaissance and beyond in-store and online.
