Through his vibrant and joyful portraits, Robert Peterson captures the beauty and diversity of African-American life, celebrating the “Black experience as [he] knows it.”
For his first major museum exhibition, the Wichita Art Museum will feature more than 20 new works and key pieces from Peterson’s existing collection, many painted on a monumental scale. The exhibit is now open.
Each painting is a loving depiction of individuals, couples, and families, celebrating everyday moments and commemorating Peterson’s community — from small-town Oklahoma to his wider circle of friends and family across the country.
The somewhat autobiographical work by Peters is deeply personal yet tells universally relatable stories of family, community, and legacy. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the art of a self-taught artist who has quickly risen to prominence, with his works now held in major museums like the Philbrook Museum of Art, Weisman Art Museum, and Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg.
In 2023, the U.S. Postal Service featured the artist’s portrait of author Ernest J. Gaines on the 46th Forever Stamp in the Black Heritage Series.
“Somewhere in America” is on display at the Wichita Art Museum through Jan. 5. The exhibit admission price is $12. Free for WAM members, college students with ID, and youth 18 and under.
WAM is located at 1400 W. Museum Blvd. Museum hours are Wed. – Sun.: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Fri. nights until 9 p.m.