2024 David C. Driskell Awards Gala: Naomi Beckwith Continues to Highlight African American Art and its Untold Stories

Atlanta’s art scene has grown lately thanks to the town’s stellar list of galleries and shops, in addition to the emergence of Atlanta Art Week. Among the growing creative community, the David C. Driskell Awards is a crowning jewel. The nineteenth annual ceremony honored Naomi Beckwith, who in 2021 became the Guggenheim Museum’s first Black deputy director and chief curator. Her efforts in the sphere of African American art have been invaluable and exude all the pieces that this coveted award embodies.

Founded by High Art Museum in 2005, the Driskell Prize recognizes groundbreaking contributions to black art from among the nation’s leading scholars and artists. Due to its prestige, the annual gala gathers the best and brightest participants on this planet of art. This 12 months, the event began with a trendy red carpet, where participants could immortalize this evening for a lifetime. With celebrities including Valerie Cassel Oliver, Tanya Sam, Egypt Sherrod, Charly Palmer, Jeezy, Sergio Hudson and more, the 2024 event was set to turn out to be probably the most memorable in its history.

After a pre-gala cocktail reception within the museum’s atrium, guests were ushered into the major hall where the awards ceremony was to begin. After taking their seats, everyone could enjoy appetizers and dishes inspired by Southern cuisine. Randall Suffolk, director of the High Museum of Art, soon took the rostrum, emphasized the importance of the Driskell Award and introduced the centerpiece of the evening – Naomi Beckwith.

Beckwith appeared on stage and was rewarded with a sea of ​​applause. She began by thanking the jury and showing gratitude for being chosen for such an honorable distinction. The Chicago native also spoke about Dr. Driskell’s legacy and how vital effective collaboration is for artists and curators. “I believe in this practice of working together,” she said during her moving speech. “I believe in collectivity because I know that for Black people especially, collectivity has been our strength and actually the source of our joy.”

The Courtauld graduate then spoke concerning the obstacles artists of color have had to overcome over time and the way it continues to motivate her work. “My job is to bring the gift of Black art and Black artists to the world, so until we truly see the canon of Black art history permeating global institutions, I will have no rest,” Beckwith said. She concluded by thanking her friends, colleagues, family and partner before delivering an ode to the award. “I am incredibly happy to hold this award so close to my heart,” she stated. “I make a public promise to all of you in this field that I will honor the legacy of this award, this gift and this work.”

After Beckwith’s speech, the celebration continued with an official afterparty featuring DJ Princess Cut and Grammy Award-winning DJ Drama. In attendance were Eva Marcille, Killer Mike, Tyler Mitchell and Ebony G. Patterson, amongst others, making the first-ever post-gala celebration truly memorable.

The David C. Driskell Award is the primary within the nation to recognize the importance of African-American art. This award alternates between an African-American artist based within the United States and an art historian whose artistic practice or scholarly work makes an original and vital contribution to the visual arts and black art studies.