In an article written for Libération, Sonya Faure explores the life and work of Lorraine O’Grady, whose first solo exhibition in France is being held at Mariane Ibrahim Parisian space. Known for her powerful performances and photographic collages, O’Grady used art to critique racism, colonial legacies, and the marginalization of Black women in the art world.
Malik Gaines talks with O’Grady about the meaning behind her retrospective title, Both/And, through which she signifies an affront to Western binarist thinking. Unlike writing, which O’Grady has foreseeably mastered, she keeps returning to art because there is no correct way to do it – her struggle is a source of joy and motivation.
At 86, Lorraine O’Grady is experiencing what she calls her “first big break” with the Brooklyn Museum’s retrospective Both/And. For more than four decades, O’Grady has forged a singular path in performance, collage, and critical writing—work that probes identity, inclusion, and the limits of art history. In conversation with Ben Davis, she reflects on her Boston upbringing, her influence on younger artists, and the unexpected moment when a Biden administration post-election ad brought her work into viral circulation.