Galleries + Permanent Collections

Permanent Collection

View our galleries and permanent collections

Learn more about the different gallery spaces and permanent collections at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.

View our galleries and permanent collections

October 1st, 2025 to January 4th, 2026

Of Salt and Spirit: Black Quilters in the American South

Curated by Dr. Sharbreon Plummer, this exhibition and the accompanying publication seek to illuminate the processes and practices of Black Southern quilters while celebrating the enduring impact of quilting on communities and generations. ‍

Learn More
Roland L. Freeman (1936–2023), Catherine Gill, Classy Blaylock, Decatur, MS, 1993. Color print, 24 in. x 36 ½ inches. Collection of the Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, Gift of the Kohler Foundation, Inc., 2022.9.162. Photo: Gib Ford
Roland L. Freeman (1936–2023), Catherine Gill, Classy Blaylock, Decatur, MS, 1993. Color print, 24 in. x 36 ½ inches. Collection of the Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, Gift of the Kohler Foundation, Inc., 2022.9.162. Photo: Gib Ford

July 23, 2025 - October 2026

Navigating Knowledge

This exhibition explores vessels and navigation as metaphors for the containment and transmission of knowledge. From religious doctrine and scientific theories to historical narratives and ancient philosophies, the works presented consider how ideas spread to the far reaches of the world through migration and other journeys.

Learn More
Harmonia Rosales, 'Migration of the Gods', 2021. Oil with iron oxide and 24 karat gold leaf on Belgian linen mounted on wood panel. Museum purchase with funds provided by the Blackmon Perry Endowment Fund, 2022.2
Harmonia Rosales, 'Migration of the Gods', 2021. Oil with iron oxide and 24 karat gold leaf on Belgian linen mounted on wood panel. Museum purchase with funds provided by the Blackmon Perry Endowment Fund, 2022.2

May 22, 2025

Suchitra Mattai: with abundance we meet

'with abundance we meet' is an installation made of ‘fruit’ ('phala' in Hindi) sculptures by the artist Suchitra Mattai that are ripe with possibilities, conjuring wombs and fertility spirits.

Learn More
Suchitra Mattai, 'phala' (fruit), 2023. 15 components comprised of vintage saris, rope, and chain, dimensions variable. Courtesy of the artist and Roberts Projects, Los Angeles, California; Photo: Robert Wedemeyer.
Suchitra Mattai, 'phala' (fruit), 2023. 15 components comprised of vintage saris, rope, and chain, dimensions variable. Courtesy of the artist and Roberts Projects, Los Angeles, California; Photo: Robert Wedemeyer.

April 17 - November 17

Summer Art Garden: A Flash of Sun

Memphis-based artist and designer Khara Woods presents A Flash of Sun, an installation of sun-drenched shades, dazzling patterns, and geometric sculptures.

Learn More
Axis, 2021, Spray Paint on Wood Panel, 30x40 in
Axis, 2021, Spray Paint on Wood Panel, 30x40 in

Ongoing

In the Moment: Art from the 1950s to Now

Contemporary art can capture the political and cultural essence of our time while contemplating and transcending our everyday realities. As time passes, this art connects us with the defining spirit of an era, becoming a visual record of a moment.

Learn More
Rashid Johnson, 'Seascape "Milestones"', 2022 Oil on linen; 95 × 122 in. From the collection of Pitt and Barbara Hyde
Rashid Johnson, 'Seascape "Milestones"', 2022 Oil on linen; 95 × 122 in. From the collection of Pitt and Barbara Hyde

Ongoing

Memphis on the Mississippi (Ode to Tom Lee)

To further build Memphis' Art Collection, the Brooks has commissioned the Memphis-based artist Carl E. Moore to create a work inspired by our soon-to-be new location Downtown on the banks of the Mississippi River.

Learn More
Carl E. Moore, 'Memphis on the Mississippi (Ode to Tom Lee)', 2022. Acrylic on canvas.
Carl E. Moore, 'Memphis on the Mississippi (Ode to Tom Lee)', 2022. Acrylic on canvas.

Ongoing

Art of the African Diaspora

As conversations around the African Diaspora shift and evolve, so too will this display, aided by the museum actively acquiring works that reflect these varied, global experiences.

Learn More

Ongoing

Power & Absence: Women in Europe, 1500 – 1680

This reimagining of the Schilling Gallery explores the representation of women in Europe from around 1500 to 1680, known as the Renaissance and Early Baroque period. Most of the works in this room have been made by men.

Learn More
Sofonisba Anguissola, 'Self-Portrait', 1560, oil on wood panel, Memphis Park Commission Purchase, 43.11
Sofonisba Anguissola, 'Self-Portrait', 1560, oil on wood panel, Memphis Park Commission Purchase, 43.11
No exhibitions were found

January 23 - February 21, 2021

Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards Exhibition

Every year, the Brooks is honored to host what some artists have called the "championships for our young artists": the Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards. The exhibition at the Brooks brings you the winning works in varied media by the Mid-South’s brightest and best student artists, featuring more than 135 artworks.

Learn More
Amellia Hausmann, Colorful Breeze (Painting)
Amellia Hausmann, Colorful Breeze (Painting)

On view through January 2, 2021

A Journey Towards Self-Definition

This exhibition brings together paintings, photographs, textiles, and sculpture by mainly self-taught African American artists from the museum’s permanent collection, spanning from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present day.

Learn More
‍Gordon Parks, American, 1912-2006, The Fontanelle Family: Beddie With Her Children Kenneth, Richard, Norman Jr., And Ellen at The Poverty Board in New York, 1968, Gelatin silver print, Memphis Brooks Museum of Art;
‍Gordon Parks, American, 1912-2006, The Fontanelle Family: Beddie With Her Children Kenneth, Richard, Norman Jr., And Ellen at The Poverty Board in New York, 1968, Gelatin silver print, Memphis Brooks Museum of Art;

October 26 - January 19, 2020

Photography in Memphis

Photography in Memphis is both a celebration of and a reckoning with the history of the city through the work of 56 photographers. Spanning 1849 to today, the images capture places you’ve been, the people you know or wish you knew, and the events you experienced or were sorry you missed.

Learn More
David Horan American, b. 1958 Ed Harris from the Drummer Portrait Series, 2017 Digital photograph, Gicleé print Collection of the artist © David Horan
David Horan American, b. 1958 Ed Harris from the Drummer Portrait Series, 2017 Digital photograph, Gicleé print Collection of the artist © David Horan

February 22 – September 27, 2020

Native Voices, 1950s to Now

Contemporary Indigenous art comes front and center in Native Voices, 1950s to Now: Art for a New Understanding. The exhibition features over 70 artworks from the 1950s to today, including paintings, photography, video, sculptures, performance art, and more, all created by Indigenous U.S. and Canadian artists.

Learn More

January 25 - February 23

2020 Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards

The Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards is an annual juried student exhibition presented by the Brooks and Brooks Museum League. As an affiliate of the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, the Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards honors exemplary art by students in seventh through 12th grades.

Learn More
2019 Senior Division First Place Senior Personal Vision Award, National American Visions Nominee Lanyce W., Felon, Arlington High School
2019 Senior Division First Place Senior Personal Vision Award, National American Visions Nominee Lanyce W., Felon, Arlington High School

On view through January 12, 2020

Claire Van Vliet: Illustrating Babel

In The Tower of Babel: An Anthology, 1975, Claire Van Vliet (American, born Canada, b. 1933) observes the human condition by examining the origin of language. This unbound book of seventeen lithographs and one woodcut – on display for the first time – is shown alongside two prints by Käthe Kollwitz (1867-1945).

Learn More
Claire Van Vliet American (b. Canada), b. 1933 Illustration for The Great Wall and The Tower of Babel by Franz Kafka from The Tower of Babel: An Anthology, 1975, lithograph, 6/100, Gift of Isabel Ehrlich Goodman and Charles F. Goodman 90.19.22f
Claire Van Vliet American (b. Canada), b. 1933 Illustration for The Great Wall and The Tower of Babel by Franz Kafka from The Tower of Babel: An Anthology, 1975, lithograph, 6/100, Gift of Isabel Ehrlich Goodman and Charles F. Goodman 90.19.22f

On view through October 27, 2019

Ernest C. Withers: Baseball Photographs

With baseball as the focus, from Little League through the Negro Leagues, this exhibition examines African American identity and representation as captured through the lens of noted Civil Rights-era photographer Ernest C. Withers.

Learn More
Ernie Banks, Larry Doby, Matty Brusher, and Jackie Robinson with a Young Fan, Martin's Stadium, Memphis, 1948-1949. Gelatin silver print, printed from original negative in 1999. Ernest C. Withers.
Ernie Banks, Larry Doby, Matty Brusher, and Jackie Robinson with a Young Fan, Martin's Stadium, Memphis, 1948-1949. Gelatin silver print, printed from original negative in 1999. Ernest C. Withers.

On view through October 27, 2019

Albrecht Dürer's "Small Passion" Series

Albrecht Dürer (b. Nuremberg, 1471- 1528) has long been recognized as one of the most influential artists of the European Renaissance and one of the finest printmakers in the history of art.

Learn More
Albrecht Dürer German, 1471-1528 Fall of Man from the Small Passion, 1510 Woodcut Memphis Brooks Museum of Art; Gift of Madonna Circle 60.20.1
Albrecht Dürer German, 1471-1528 Fall of Man from the Small Passion, 1510 Woodcut Memphis Brooks Museum of Art; Gift of Madonna Circle 60.20.1

Febuary 25 - September 2026

Memphis College of Art, 1936-2020: An Enduring Legacy

For eighty-four years, the Memphis College of Art offered a rigorous arts education to students from across the country and around the world. Through this exhibition of ninety faculty, administrators, and graduates, 'Memphis College of Art, 1936-2020: An Enduring Legacy' reflects on the school’s historical impact and celebrates its continued legacy regionally and beyond.

Learn More

June 10, 2026 - Sept. 2026

David Uzochukwu: Bodies of Water

David Uzochukwu: Bodies of Water is a poetic meditation on identity, migration, and belonging. In his first solo museum exhibition, Uzochukwu presents hybrid beings—part human, part animal—who inhabit surreal, dreamlike landscapes. His use of nonhuman features amplifies, rather than diminishes, the strength and dignity of his subjects.‍

Learn More
David Uzochukwu, Gurgle, 2020. Archival inkjet print, 40 x 60 in. Courtesy of the artist. © 2025 David Uzochukwu. Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Gomis.
David Uzochukwu, Gurgle, 2020. Archival inkjet print, 40 x 60 in. Courtesy of the artist. © 2025 David Uzochukwu. Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Gomis.

Galleries

You can start your visit to the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art online and purchase your tickets before your arrive.

Plan your visit

Permanent Collections

Information about the permanent collections of the Brooks Museum

Interior with Soldiers
Provenance Research Paintings
View CollectionView Collection