Making Their Mark: Works from the Shah Garg Collection
Making Their Mark: Works from the Shah Garg Collection brings together approximately 80 works by nearly 70 women and nonbinary artists spanning the 20th and 21st centuries, drawn from the Shah Garg Collection and curated by Cecilia Alemani. The exhibition examines the contributions of women artists to abstract art over the past eight decades, emphasizing connections across generations and international perspectives. Works range from painting and sculpture to textile, beadwork, and ceramics, challenging traditional distinctions between art and craft. The show is organized into seven thematic sections—Gestural Abstraction, Luminous Abstraction, Pixelated Abstraction, Disobedient Bodies, Of Selves and Spirits, The Power of Form, and Craft is Art—that juxtapose emerging artists with their predecessors to reveal ongoing dialogues about representation, identity, and power.
When: February 27 through July 26, 2026. The exhibition is closed on July 20, 2026.
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm. Hours are subject to change; visitors should check the museum’s Plan Your Visit page for updates.
Tickets: Price information is not available at this time. Advance reservation is recommended; tickets can be reserved online.
Lineup: Featured artists include Magdalena Abakanowicz, Cecily Brown, Sheila Hicks, Jenny Holzer, Julie Mehretu, Joan Mitchell, Faith Ringgold, Tschabalala Self, Amy Sillman, Lorna Simpson, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Pat Steir, Sarah Sze, Kara Walker, Zarina, and many others. Among the works highlighted are Charline von Heyl’s *Dunesday*, Jaime Quick-to-See Smith’s *In the Future Map*, Julie Mehretu’s *Among the Multitude VI*, Barbara Chase-Riboud’s *Malcolm X #17*, Tschabalala Self’s *Sisters*, and Melissa Cody’s *The Three Rivers*.
Curator: Cecilia Alemani, the Donald R. Mullen, Jr. Director and Chief Curator of High Line Art in New York City.
Venue: National Museum of Women in the Arts, located on the second floor in the Exhibition Gallery.
Accessibility: Gallery labels are available in a scalable, accessible format for ease of reading in the galleries or afterward. The museum’s accessibility information can be found on its website.
Related Events: A series of virtual Art Chat talks and tours are scheduled on Fridays from 5:00 to 5:45 pm ET on July 24, August 14, and August 28, 2026. These are free with registration.
Additional Resources: A press release is available online, and an exhibition catalogue featuring the works on view can be purchased.
Note: The exhibition is supported by the Sue J. Henry and Carter G. Phillips Exhibition Fund, the Making Their Mark Foundation, Marcia Myers Carlucci, the Clara M. Lovett Emerging Artists Fund, Share Fund, San Francisco Advocacy for NMWA, Elizabeth Leach Gallery, and the Estate of Lisa Claudy Fleischman.