Beverly Buchanan's Artistic Legacy Explored in New Monograph

Beverly Buchanan: Ruination and Regeneration, a comprehensive monograph, will be published in 2026. The book will explore the life and work of the late artist Beverly Buchanan, who was mentored by Norman Lewis and Romare Bearden and was a contemporary of Ana Mendieta and Eva Hesse.

The monograph, edited by Aurélie Bernard Wortsman, will feature contributions from friends, dealers, historians, curators, and contemporaries of Buchanan. It will include essays, interviews, poems, and images that span Buchanan's role in Abstract Expressionism and Post-minimalism, her activities in Atlanta, Macon, and Athens, Georgia, and her eventual move to Michigan.

The book will also include an extensive selection of Buchanan's works, including early paintings, zines, sketches, architectural and floral works on paper, environmental installations, and sculptures.

Beverly Buchanan: Ruination and Regeneration will be introduced by Andrew Edlin, a longtime dealer and supporter of the artist's work. The monograph will also feature a poem by Alice Walker.

The book will serve as a testament to Buchanan's complexity, intellect, and sensitivity across various mediums, including sculpture, photography, land art, and video work. It will also highlight the impact of racism, misogyny, and regional bias on an artist's legacy, as modeled by the 18 contributors' voices in this book.

Beverly Buchanan was most recently featured in the 61st Venice Biennale in Koyo Kouoh's In Minor Keys.