Book Review Instead of leaving the South behind, the polymath artist carried it into her writings, zines, paintings, and “shack sculptures” that echo the architecture of her childhood.

October 28, 2026 — 4 min read

Beverly Buchanan, "Orangeburg County Family House" (1993), paint, sharpie, garland, necklace, wood chips, bark, buttons, bottle caps, license plate, filmcanister, thumbtacks, clay pot, glass bottle, thread, and glue on wood (© 2026 Beverly Buchanan; image courtesy Delmonico Books)

Beverly Buchanan was mentored by Norman Lewis and Romare Bearden, a contemporary of Ana Mendieta and Eva Hesse, and most recently featured in the 61st Venice Biennale in Koyo Kouoh’s In Minor Keys . Yet, the late artist and her oeuvre have long been understudied and underexplored.

With contributors ranging from friends, dealers, historians, curators, and contemporaries, Beverly Buchanan: Ruination and Regeneration (2026) seeks to amend this oversight.…