Image: Oakland Museum of California
‘Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory’ remains on view at the Oakland Museum of California’s Great Hall through 18 October 2026.
The exhibition, described as the first major museum presentation devoted to the Bay Area artist, spans Howard’s five-decade practice. It brings together collages, found-object sculptures and immersive installations exploring memory, identity and the African American experience, alongside new works and archival materials from Howard’s Oakland studio.
Works highlighted in the exhibition include ‘Untitled’ (1975), a photo collage and screen print on paper; ‘Crossings’ (1997), made with an antique gilded frame, ceramic eggs and filtered ambient light; ‘A Salute to Sojourner, Still Water Run Deep’ (2001), a mixed-media sculpture; and ‘Black Has Always Been a Color’ (2024), incorporating glass bottles, wood, glue and high heels.
A related Spotlight Sundays programme on 20 September will screen Spencer Wilkinson’s documentary ‘Alice Street’. Hosted by Oakland Chinatown organiser Lailan Sandra Huen, the event will include a drum offering by Bantaba Drum Call and a performance by Dimensions Dance Theater. The film will be shown in English with Chinese subtitles.
