Two New Exhibitions Explore Identity at AFAM

This spring, the American Folk Art Museum (2 Lincoln Square) presents two new exhibitions exploring personal and national identity. Together, they consider how identity is formed, expressed, and preserved through art and everyday objects.

On view through Sunday, September 13, Self-Made: A Century of Inventing Artists explores what it means to be a “self-taught” artist, examining how artists without formal training have defined their practices on their own terms from the early twentieth century to today. Featuring works from the museum’s collection, the exhibition brings together paintings, sculptures, photographs, videos, and personal materials by 60 artists, including Henry Darger, Adolf Wölfli, Bill Traylor, Martín Ramírez, and Aloïse Corbaz, working outside traditional art-world systems. Organized around themes of self-portraiture, alter egos, and autobiography, the show highlights how these artists have shaped their own narratives—emphasizing agency, creativity, and their connection to broader cultural contexts.

Folk Nation: Crafting Patriotism in the United States, on view from Saturday, April 10, explores how everyday art and objects have helped shape ideas of American identity. The exhibition traces how people have used objects—from the years following the Revolutionary War to today—to tell stories about themselves and build a national history. Through a range of materials and perspectives, the show considers how expressions of patriotism can be both celebratory and complex. Folk Nation will be closed from September 13 through October 8 and will reopen to the public on October 9 following the presentation of another exhibition. 

The American Folk Art Museum also offers a robust slate of programs throughout the year, including virtual walkthrough tours of the exhibitions. The next Virtual Insights: Folk Nation tour is on Monday, April 27, at 1:00pm, and the next Virtual Insights: Self-Made tour is on Tuesday, May 12, at 1:00pm.