Block Museum Acquires Work by Adebunmi Gbadebo

The Evanston museum adds a new handmade paper piece by the artist to its growing permanent collection.

Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in African-American

Block Museum Acquires Work by Adebunmi Gbadebo

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Should your local museum prioritize acquiring art that documents underrepresented histories and personal narratives?

The Block Museum of Art at Northwestern University has acquired the handmade paper work Many Mornings Later by artist Adebunmi Gbadebo. The piece was selected for the collection by the museum's 2025-26 Collection Council.

Why it matters

The acquisition reinforces the museum's commitment to formal experimentation and representing histories that have historically been excluded from institutional collections.

Adebunmi Gbadebo creates her paper works by compressing fibers under an 11-ton hydraulic press. The materials used in Many Mornings Later include cotton, soil from South Carolina's True Blue Plantation, and hair from Harlem barbershops.

The players

Adebunmi Gbadebo

She is an artist recognized for her practice of incorporating materials such as soil and hair into handmade paper works.

The Block Museum of Art

Located at Northwestern University in Evanston, the museum focuses on academic research and diverse art collections.

The details

The selection process involved extensive research and discussions between the museum's curatorial team and the Collection Council throughout the academic year. In addition to the new acquisition, the museum previously added Gbadebo's print titled Periwinkle to its holdings in 2026.

Adebunmi Gbadebo spoke to the Collection Council in April 2026.
Many Mornings Later was created between 2025 and 2026.
The print Periwinkle was acquired by the museum in 2026.

Culture Shift

The acquisition reflects a broader move among academic institutions to actively diversify permanent collections. By formalizing these acquisitions through a Council-led research process, the museum aligns with a trend of prioritizing underrepresented narratives in contemporary art.

Evanston residents and university visitors will have the opportunity to view the new acquisition as part of the museum's future exhibition programming. The addition expands the range of contemporary works accessible to the local public and academic community.

The takeaway

Institutional acquisitions serve as a vital step in ensuring diverse artistic voices remain preserved for future generations. Readers interested in contemporary art can follow museum announcements to see when newly acquired pieces are scheduled for public display.