Departures of note

Betye Saar was a Los Angeles-based artist who rose to prominence in the 1970s as a key figure in the Black Arts Movement. She became renowned for her assemblage works that incorporated found objects, particularly racist memorabilia from the Jim Crow era, which she transformed into potent critiques of American racial history. Her 1972 piece "The Liberation of Aunt Jemima," featuring a stereotypical mammy figure armed with a rifle and grenade, became an iconic work that activist Angela Davis credited with helping spur the Black women's movement.

Born Betye Irene Brown in 1926, Saar initially worked as a social worker and designer of greeting cards before pursuing fine art. She studied at UCLA, California State University, Long Beach, and other institutions, earning a degree in design in 1947. Her artistic practice drew on her mixed ancestry and interests in mysticism, spirituality, and family memory. She collected objects from garage sales and flea markets, believing each item carried energy from its previous life that could be redirected in her art.

Saar's work was exhibited at major institutions including the Whitney Museum of American Art, which gave her a solo exhibition in 1975, just three years after creating her breakthrough piece. Her assemblages explored themes of slavery, discrimination, family, and spirituality, influencing generations of artists. She continued creating art well into her late nineties, with her work celebrated in numerous profiles and exhibitions as she approached her centenary. Saar died in her sleep in Los Angeles in July 2026, just days before her 100th birthday.