Beverly McIver: Full Circle

Beverly McIver: Full Circle presents a survey of more than 50 works that demonstrate the diversity of the artist’s thematic approach to painting over twenty-five years. From early self-portraits in clown makeup to more recent works featuring portraits of others and her own reflections on the COVID-19 pandemic, the exhibition illuminates the arc of McIver’s artistic career while also touching on her personal journey. Her self-portraits explore expressions of individuality, stereotypes, and ways of masking identity, while portraits of family members provide glimpses of intimate moments, in good times as well as in illness and death. The exhibition includes McIver’s portraits of other artists and notable figures, recent work resulting from a year in Rome with American Academy’s Rome Prize, and new work in which McIver explores the juxtaposition of color, pattern, and the human figure.

Full Circle also features works that reflect on McIver’s collaborations with artists, as well as her impact on the next generation. A complementary exhibition, In Good Company, includes artists who have mentored McIver, such as Faith Ringgold and Richard Mayhew, as well as those who have studied under her, including Melissa Button, Claudio Dicochea, Michael Dixon, Carrie Hott, Mary Porterfield, Chris Santa Maria, Damian Stamer, and Lamar Whidbee.