ART OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA
Black Dimensions in Art (BDA) is an organization in New York’s Capital Region whose mission is to educate the public about the unique contributions of artists of the African Diaspora, to provide exposure and sales opportunities for artists of African descent, and to encourage youth of African descent in the practice, application, and appreciation of the arts.
Featured Artists
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D. Colin
Originally from Bridgeport, CT, D. Colin is a poet, performer, visual artist and educator living in Troy, NY…
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Elizabeth Zunon
My work is largely influenced by the people, places, and things from my childhood in the Ivory Coast…
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Aleathia Brown
Creativity is more than a way to share personal expression, it is a path of spirituality, a connection to God…
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Liana’Kim
A 25 year old artist looking to use my talents to spread the message of positivity, unity, and bring awareness to…
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50 Years:
For Liberation and For Life
Albany Institute of History and Art Aug 23 –Dec 31, 2025
For Liberation and For Life celebrates the 50th anniversary of Black Dimensions in Art, Inc. (BDA)—a volunteer-led group of creatives and activists founded in Schenectady in 1975. BDA presents this exhibition in partnership with the Albany Institute, which hosted the organization’s first major museum show—Black Artists in Historical Perspective—in 1976. For five decades, BDA has uplifted the art and artists of the African Diaspora through exhibitions, workshops, and programs throughout New York’s Capital Region, creating vital platforms for Black artists across generations.
Up To US:
Black Dimensions in Art, 1975–Tomorrow
The Tang
May 31 - Nov 2, 2025
In celebration of the 50th anniversary, Up to Us: Black Dimensions in Art, 1975–Tomorrow presents selections from BDA’s growing archive—publications, fliers, postcards, photographs, oral histories, and more—and artwork by BDA members and artists from the Tang collection whose work celebrates Black identity. The exhibition reflects on the organization’s legacy in the Capital Region, celebrates the dedication of its leaders past and present, and imagines its future possibilities.
Up South:
Reflections on the Great Migration
Opalka Gallery March 7th - April 22nd, 2023
In collaboration with Opalka Gallery, Black Dimensions in Art, Inc. is pleased to present a new solo exhibition from the artist ransome. Over a sixty-year period, Black people left behind poverty and Jim Crow in search of new lives in the North, Midwest, and West. In new paintings, installation, and sculpture, he reflects on this defining moment in America’s history and the ways in which his work is interwoven with this historic narrative.
Unrest Exhibit
Albany Barn November 9th - December 7th, 2020
This exhibition, which took place at the Albany Barn between November 9th and December 7th, 2020, featured artists addressing the challenges of this time through the power of visual expression. 2020 was a tumultuous year. In the month of May citizens took to the streets to protest the continued killings of unarmed Black people at the hands of the police. This unfolded against the backdrop of a global pandemic occurring during an especially contentions election year. Black Dimensions in Art, Inc asked the artists to interpret and define unrest visually through their artwork.