Photo by Carol Rose of Colurwrk Photography
The Taft Museum announced Ayana Ross as its 2026 Duncanson Artist-in-Residence, selecting the accredited oil painter for the 40th anniversary of the program. Created in honor of painter Robert S. Duncanson, the residency exists to uplift Black contemporary artists.
“With my practice as both an artist, an art educator, and my love for community engagement, I just felt like this was definitely worth my time,” Ross says.
A Georgia native, Ross began her career in fashion design. As time progressed, she continued drawing and painting people. Known for her autobiographical oil paintings, Ross aims to foster community dialogue with her work. Her art centers around people, with everyday scenes of family engaging in normal activities, and a reimagined American landscape.
“It’s been in me from the very beginning,” Ross says. “Everything’s about people. It doesn’t really matter what work you do. It all boils down to people…We’re curious about other people and perspectives and what they’re doing.”
One of Ross’s paintings, “Please Pass…It On,” reflects that sentiment. A family sits at the dinner table, laden with food. The seat at the head of the table is noticeably absent, with the mournful gaze of two women directed towards it. It’s about loss, but it’s also about the intricate dynamics of family.
Photo by Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn
“So much of my work is about intergenerational conversations and reflections on the world around us and how identity, race, value systems, all of that play a part in who we are,” Ross says. “I just pull all those pieces together, almost like a puzzle, and try to lay out a narrative within the work that just flows and makes sense to me.”
Ross had been an art educator for years, working with various age groups, from pre-K to college. She felt that experience would contribute greatly to the Duncanson Residency, which focuses on community engagement.
“Ayana best exemplified what we were looking for in a resident,” says Kareem Simpson, the Taft Museum of Art’s Duncanson program manager. “We always look for how strong the artist is as an educator.”
Aside from having an educational background, the Taft Museum considers the quality of the artist’s work and their ability to carry out the legacy of Duncanson, whose artwork lines the walls of the museum.
“Duncanson was the first internationally acclaimed Black painter in the United States. The great thing is that his artistry wasn’t elevated because he was a Black American painter, but it was the artwork,” Simpson says. “It stood alone. That is a really telling space to exist in and to be able to facilitate that legacy.”
Photo by Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn
The Duncanson Residency has provided artists from various disciplines with the opportunity to connect with Cincinnati. During her time in the city, Ross will teach workshops and lead public programs.
“One of the things that resonated with me personally, when talking about [Ayana’s] work, is that idea of personal history and narrative,” says Elise Solomon, director of learning and outreach. “I loved how that parallels with Robert S. Duncanson and his paintings here at the Taft.”
Ross will begin her two-week residency in spring 2026. Following the start of it is a three-month-long exhibition showcasing her work. As it is the 40th anniversary of the program, the Taft Museum also plans on bringing in past alumni to celebrate.
Learn more about Ayana Ross and the Duncanson Artist-in-Residence through the Taft Museum.
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