Carol Thompson - July 2023

Carol Thompson. Photo by Heather Henriksen.

Born and raised in a small town in Minnesota, in May of 1973, Thompson moved to NYC. Apart from a stint in Atlanta where she served as the Fred and Rita Richman Curator of African Art at the High Museum from 2001 to 2019, she has spent most of her adult life in Manhattan. Since January of 2020, she has lived in Harlem. Acutely aware of the unique challenges that accompany the task of diversifying museum collections within Eurocentric institutions, Thompson is committed to being an agent of change as she works toward social justice by advancing greater recognition of the art of Africa and of the African Diaspora. The art of Burkina Faso is a special focus. Since 1987, she has made seven visits to this little-known nation, including most recently, in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Another of her passion projects focuses on the art of street artist, the late Curtis Lee Levon Cuffie.