The New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) will present a retrospective exhibition dedicated to Hayward L. Oubre, Jr., an American modernist born in New Orleans. The exhibition, titled “Hayward Oubre: Structural Integrity,” features 48 sculptures, paintings, and prints that showcase Oubre’s influence on American art from a Southern perspective. Organized by the Birmingham Museum of Art, the exhibition will be on display at NOMA from January 30 through May 3, 2026.
Susan M. Taylor, The Montine McDaniel Freeman Director of NOMA, stated, “This exhibition is an important reexamination of American modernism from the vantage point of the South—and through the eyes of a New Orleans–born artist. This thoughtful retrospective of Oubre’s work will provide a new consideration of color, materiality, and representation in 20th-century art.”
Oubre is recognized for his innovative use of wire coat hangers to create modernist sculptures that blend realism and abstraction. He produced nearly forty wire sculptures before the early 1980s and continued painting throughout his career with a focus on Black experiences.
Born in New Orleans in 1916, Oubre was the first graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Dillard University. His postgraduate studies at Atlanta University were influenced by painter Hale Woodruff and sculptor Nancy Elizabeth Prophet. After serving in World War II, he earned his Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Iowa in 1948.
The exhibition also highlights the impact of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) on twentieth-century art. Oubre served as the first chair of Alabama State University’s art department from 1949 to 1965 and later established the art department at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina.
Anne Collins Smith, Chief Curator at NOMA, said, “This exhibition is a full-circle moment, looking back at Oubre’s work from his home city of New Orleans. Oubre’s work demonstrates the vital role of Southern artists and Black artists within American modernism. This presentation at NOMA will offer visitors an overdue look at Oubre’s work and the opportunity to draw connections with other important artists represented in the museum’s permanent collection.”
The works on view cover topics such as Oubre’s training and teaching at HBCUs, military service influences, political activism during the Civil Rights Movement, and interest in technology during the Atomic Age and Space Race.
Katelyn D. Crawford, The William Cary Hulsey Curator of American Art at Birmingham Museum of Art commented: “Oubre’s modernist practice incorporated accessible new and found materials to produce work steeped in its place and moment: funny and current, relevant and visually dynamic, as well as political and personal. Oubre bridged a century with his unshakable determination to create. When he retired in 1981, he had taught and made art for more than forty years, educating generations of Black southern artists.”
“Hayward Oubre: Structural Integrity” includes loans from major institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and National Gallery of Art as well as works awarded prizes at Atlanta University’s annual exhibitions for Black artists between 1942-1970.
Several public programs are scheduled alongside the exhibition:
– A member preview takes place January 29.
– “NOMA at Night” event is set for January 30.
– Clay sculpture workshops for adults aged 55+ run select Wednesdays between January 22–March 26.
– A Teen Takeover program occurs February 27.
– Weekly gallery talks are held every Wednesday.
– A book club discussion about essays featured in the exhibition catalogue is planned for March 12.
A fully illustrated catalogue accompanies “Hayward Oubre: Structural Integrity,” published by Birmingham Museum of Art and Giles Ltd., featuring essays by several scholars along with reflections by those who knew or studied under Oubre.
The exhibition is organized by Katelyn D. Crawford with support from organizations including Terra Foundation for American Art; The Andy Warhol Foundation for Visual Arts; Henry Luce Foundation; Wyeth Foundation for American Art; Stephanie and Ryan Burks; Boh Bros Centennial Fund.
NOMA houses nearly 50,000 works spanning African art to contemporary pieces and offers diverse educational programs. Its Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden features almost one hundred outdoor artworks across twelve acres and hosts events year-round.
