Dancing, mourning, celebrating, screaming, dying. They are all normal elements of human experience, and common themes reflected in art history. They’re also the raw material of Beverly McIver’s art practice, embodied by oil on canvas paintings that are both intensely personal and profoundly universal. Fifty works spanning more than two decades are featured in “Beverly McIver: Full Circle,” which is curated by Kim Boganey, director of Scottsdale Public Art. The survey lends significant insights into the artist’s explorations of portraiture, which centers around family, friends, and the artist herself. Meanwhile, it illuminates her use of portraiture to address race, gender, and the complexities of social and occupational identity. 

"Revealing "The Light Within": A Conversation with Beverly McIver"

By:  Amy Funderburk

"Amid the pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests, artist Beverly McIver listened to her intuition. The lockdown afforded McIver unexpected painting time and the resulting works are ripe with emotion and truth telling."

McIver, Esbenshade Professor of the Practice in Studio Arts in Duke's Art History and Visual Studies department, just finished teaching her first semester at Duke. She has gathered accolades including being named as one of the 2011's "Top Ten in Painting" by Art in America and has had her work reviewed by the New York Times. She was featured in an HBO documentary entitled "Raising Renee," which chronicles her experiences taking care of her older sister, who has a mental disability, as McIver's art career grew. The Chronicle spoke with Professor McIver to discuss her artistic inspiration, her experience at Duke and her recent trip to Cuba.

Beverly McIver to join Duke university’s Art history & Visual Studies department as the Ebenshade Professor of the Practice in Studio Arts.