Uman: In Between - CCS Bard

Exhibition Overview

Uman: In Between provides a glimpse into two decades of art by Uman (b. 1980, Somalia), highlighting key moments and innovations in the trajectory of this prolific and pathbreaking artist. The exhibition shifts focus toward the techniques and themes of her work, examining her exploration of the natural world, the variability of selfhood, and the capacities of color. In her art, color is both material and memory. Her vibrant palette expresses sensation, dreams, landscapes, and history, and her surfaces are tactile. Among many inventive approaches, she has eschewed paintbrushes in favor of using her fingers and has stitched together her own canvases from found fabrics.

Exhibition Dates & Location

• June 27 – November 29, 2026
• Hessel Museum of Art, CCS Bard, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York

About the Artist

Uman is a multimedia artist who lives and works in upstate New York. She creates lavishly detailed microcosms replete with color, gesture, geometry and evocations of the natural world. Reflecting her experiences growing up across continents and cultures, her vibrant visual vocabulary draws upon memories of East African childhood, rigorous education in traditional Arabic calligraphy, deep engagement with dreams and fascination with kaleidoscopic color.

Exhibition Catalogue

A catalogue published by Monicelli Press will be released in tandem with the opening of Uman: In Between, including essays from Roberta Smith and curator Lauren Cornell. Pre-order available.

Related Events

• June 28, 2026, 1:30 PM: Uman in conversation with Lauren Cornell and Roberta Smith
• July 18, 2026, 12 PM: Family Day
• July 25, 2026, 12 AM: Curator-Led Tour with Lauren Cornell

Credits

Uman: In Between is organized by CCS Bard's Hessel Museum of Art and curated by Lauren Cornell. Major support is provided by the Bukhman Foundation; the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation; Joselito Cabaccan, M.D.; Hauser & Wirth; Jill and Peter Kraus; Shelly and Neil Mitchell; Nicola Vassell Gallery; Speyer Family Collection, New York; Alexander S. C. Rower & Elan Gentry; and R&F Handmade Paints.