UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State will close its major special exhibition of the fall, “Augusta Savage: Renaissance Woman,” this Sunday, Dec. 8. The celebrated show, the first to reassess Harlem Renaissance artist Augusta Savage’s contributions to art and cultural history in light of her role as an artist-activist, features nearly 80 sculptures, paintings, works on paper, and archival materials by Savage and those she mentored.
A gifted sculptor, Savage (1892–1962) was born in Green Cove Springs, Florida, and later became a significant teacher, leader, and catalyst for change. She overcame poverty, racism, and sexual discrimination to became one of the most influential American artists of the 20th century.