A person with dark skin against a solid black backdrop holds a vintage sepia-toned photograph directly in front of their face

Portraiture & Archives in African Photography

August 22, 2026 – December 13, 2026, this exhibition brings together six photographers of African descent whose work, made between 1963 and 2024, uses the human figure to explore culture, identity, memory, and modern life.
Photograph of a figure in a white robe and elaborate red beaded headdress that covers the face. In the background is a pale sky during sunset with calm water and rocks along the shoreline.

Maam Njaré: Goddess of Water

August 22, 2026 – December 13, 2026. Featuring photography works by artist Ibrahima Thiam, this series revisits the myths and beliefs of traditional and contemporary society in Senegal, evoking the many invisible deities who live among us.
Detail of Steve Erickson's red oil painting "Earth"

Earth

Summer 2026–2027. On loan to the Stanley Museum of Art from the “nature paintings” series by artist Steve Erickson, who has lived and worked in Iowa City since 1991. "Earth" is the fourth installment in the museum’s "Thresholds" series, which highlights the work of Iowa-affiliated artists.
A clay mask mounted on a small metal stand depicting facial features

Dis/Comfort: Confronting Histories of African Art in the United States

May 12, 2026–Spring 2027. This student-curated exhibition examines select works from the Stanley Museum of Art’s African collection and the varying degrees of comfort associated with historical African collections in American art museums.
Three verticle panels of pastel green, blue, and yellow, angled towards the top like through a prism.

Richard Diebenkorn in a New Light

April 16, 2026 - October 25, 2026. This exhibition highlights Richard Diebenkorn’s recently conserved painting, "Ocean Park #17." It is on view for the first time in many years in the company of an earlier oil on canvas, "Berkeley #2," and select prints.
A blue map of Iowa with the rivers shown as black lines. On the top left of the map is an area highlighted in red with the text "Mill Creek Cultural Area" and the bottom left with the text "Glenwood Cultural Area"

Ethics, Art, and Connections with Nature: Exploring the Archaeological Cultures of Mill Creek and Glenwood

Summer 2025 - 2026. A collaborative exhibition between the University of Iowa Office of the State Archaeologist, Department of Anthropology, and the Stanley Museum of Art. Featuring artifacts of the Indigenous people from archaeologically defined Mill Creek and Glenwood cultures.
A room with glass-front cases filled with artworks and lit from within

Visual Laboratory

The Visual Laboratory contains artwork specially selected by instructors for their courses throughout the semester. It also includes a table for students to work or meet, and a puzzle for visitors to enjoy.
An installation shot of "Fragments of the Canon."

Fragments of the Canon: African Art from the Saunders and Stanley Collections

“Fragments of the Canon” encourages viewers to contemplate the idea of who can collect art and who has the power to shape the stories we tell about history and culture.
An installation shot of "About Face," featuring a few African masks.

About Face: African Masks in Iowa

This exhibition showcases nearly thirty masks from the Stanley's permanent collection, exploring their cultural significance, artistic ingenuity, and role in ritual performance.
An extended wall with glass panels behind which are encased pottery of various shapes and sizes

African Ceramics

The Stanley Museum of Art's collection of ceramic vessels that showcase African pottery as a vital artistic tradition, from essential containers to ceremonial objects.