Jasmine Cho’s Portraits in Icing

The Heinz History Center’s past exhibition, Smithsonian’s Portraits of Pittsburgh: Works from the National Portrait Gallery, reminded us of the remarkable national impact of people whose lives have intersected with this region. But the exhibition also challenges us to recognize the gaps in this legacy. Too many faces and stories still lack representation in contemporary museum collections. This is especially true for portraiture, a type of art that by its very nature was immersed in issues of power and status. Why do some stories predominate while others are missing in these spaces and collections, primarily the legacies of women and people of color? How can we broaden definitions of American achievement today and ensure that a fuller spectrum of stories and people are represented?