Mississippi Museum of Art to Present JOE OVERSTREET: TAKING FLIGHT

The Mississippi Museum of Art (MMA) will present Joe Overstreet: Taking Flight, the first major museum exhibition in three decades devoted to the pioneering Mississippi-born painter. Organized by the Menil Collection in Houston, the exhibition will be on view November 1, 2025–January 25, 2026.

Featuring 25 works, the exhibition spans three pivotal phases of Overstreet’s practice: his angular, geometric canvases from the 1960s; the groundbreaking Flight Patterns series of the 1970s; and the large-scale Facing the Door of No Return works from the 1990s.

“Overstreet, who spent his childhood here in Mississippi, went on to shape conversations in American art far beyond our state’s borders,” said Betsy Bradley, Laurie Hearin McRee Director of MMA. “His art carries a spirit of joy, experimentation, and wonder, and we are excited to share that experience with our visitors.”

Curated by Natalie Dupêcher, Associate Curator of Modern Art at the Menil Collection, the exhibition includes important loans from museums and private collections, along with rarely seen works. A fully illustrated catalogue is published by Yale University Press.

About the Artist

Born in Conehatta, MS, in 1933, Joe Overstreet became a key figure in American abstraction and the Black Arts Movement. In the 1970s, his Flight Patterns series suspended painted canvases with ropes, evoking both the trauma of U.S. history and the hopeful metaphor of “birds in flight.” In the 1990s, following a trip to Senegal’s House of Slaves, he created Facing the Door of No Return, monumental abstractions reflecting on displacement and the African diaspora. Overstreet co-founded New York’s Kenkeleba House in 1974 and remained an active artist and cultural leader until his death in 2019.

Related Programs

• November 21, 2025 | African Drum and Dance Ensemble
  Jackson State University’s ensemble will perform West African and Afro-Caribbean works at MMA, highlighting the interdisciplinary influences central to Overstreet’s practice. Free with registration.

• January 23–24, 2026 | Kenkeleba House: “The Last Surviving Downtown Art Collective”
  A two-day program exploring Overstreet’s work with Kenkeleba House, connecting his legacy to Black-led arts initiatives active in Jackson today. Free with registration.

Exhibition Support

Joe Overstreet: Taking Flight is organized by the Menil Collection and presented in Jackson with support from Teiger Foundation, Henry Luce Foundation, and Visit Jackson. The Kenkeleba House Convening is supported by the Terra Foundation for American Art and the Henry Luce Foundation.

About the Mississippi Museum of Art

Founded in 1911, the Mississippi Museum of Art is the largest art museum in the state and is dedicated to connecting Mississippi to the world through art and community. Located in downtown Jackson, MMA’s collection and programs reflect a broad spectrum of voices and perspectives. Learn more at msmuseumart.org.