Fault Lines: Art, Imperialism, and the Atlantic World

Members Event
Carnegie Museum of Art
Sunday, July 13, 2025
6–9 p.m.

Carnegie Museum of Art’s collection is known for its strength in 18th-century European art. This period is traditionally associated with the Enlightenment, and its intellectual and cultural changes leading to increased individual happiness and freedom. Fault Lines: Art, Imperialism, and the Atlantic World questions the biased coherence of this concept, seen from Europe only, foregrounding instead the Atlantic world. 

Seen from an Atlantic perspective, the world was geopolitically connected by competitive trade, endemic violence, war, and increased European colonial presence in Africa and the Americas. This exhibition brings together the work of artists who lived within the fluid imperial boundaries of Spanish, Dutch, French, and British Empires to explore the way that art and artists contributed to, reinforced, or undermined European imperial projects. 

Join us for a special look at the exhibition and an opportunity to socialize with fellow members over light bites and refreshments. Reserve your tickets today.