New NYC exhibit highlights art of self-made artists

The 'Self-Made' exhibition at the American Folk Art Museum explores how artists without formal training depict themselves and define their identities.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 10:45am

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A bold, abstract composition of stark black silhouettes and geometric shapes in high-contrast red and white, conceptually representing the themes of self-expression and artistic identity explored in the 'Self-Made' exhibition.The 'Self-Made' exhibition explores how self-taught artists have used self-portraiture and other modes of self-representation to define their creative identities on their own terms.NYC Today

A new exhibition called 'Self-Made: A Century of Inventing Artists' at the American Folk Art Museum in New York City is showcasing how self-taught artists have portrayed themselves and their identities through self-portraits, alter egos, and autobiographical works. The exhibition features a wide range of mediums including painting, photography, film, and sculpture, and includes both historical and contemporary pieces that are being displayed publicly for the first time.

Why it matters

The exhibition provides a unique opportunity to understand how artists without formal training have used self-representation to assert their creative identities and perspectives, often in contrast to how they may have been portrayed by others. It raises broader questions about why artists turn the lens on themselves and how that process of self-fashioning can reveal deeper truths about the human experience.

The details

The exhibition features the work of self-taught painter John Kane, whose 1928 self-portrait depicts both his artistic identity and his personal life as an immigrant. Other contemporary works include 'Voyage to Candyland' by Joe Coleman, which reflects the artist's move from Brooklyn to upstate New York during the COVID-19 pandemic. Curators Suzi Oppenheimer and Valérie Rousseau say the exhibition explores three main modes of self-representation: self-portraits, alter egos, and autobiographical works.

  • The 'Self-Made' exhibition will be on display at the American Folk Art Museum through September 13, 2026.
  • The museum is located on the Upper West Side of New York City, near Lincoln Center.

The players

John Kane

A self-taught painter whose 1928 self-portrait is featured in the exhibition, capturing both his artistic identity and personal life as an immigrant.

Joe Coleman

A contemporary artist whose work 'Voyage to Candyland' is included in the exhibition, reflecting his move from Brooklyn to upstate New York during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Suzi Oppenheimer

The Ponsold-Motherwell Curatorial Fellow and a Research Associate at the American Folk Art Museum, who helped curate the 'Self-Made' exhibition.

Valérie Rousseau

The Curatorial Chair and Senior Curator of 20th Century and Contemporary Art at the American Folk Art Museum, who helped curate the 'Self-Made' exhibition.

American Folk Art Museum

The Upper West Side museum in New York City that is hosting the 'Self-Made' exhibition, which explores how self-taught artists have depicted themselves and defined their identities.

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What they’re saying

“He really showed himself as an artist, you can see that's how he identified. And it's funny because at the time in newspapers they placed him as this man of labor, he had been shown with strong arms in photographs, and here he is being shown painting this pastoral scene possibly Scotland where he and his wife both came from as immigrants to the United States.”

— Suzi Oppenheimer, Ponsold-Motherwell Curatorial Fellow and Research Associate, American Folk Art Museum

“Creating their own artistic identity through methods of self-fashioning and we confined our exploration of this theme around three angles and three modes, first is the self portrait, second alter egos, third autobiographies.”

— Valérie Rousseau, Curatorial Chair and Senior Curator of 20th Century and Contemporary Art, American Folk Art Museum

“You can ask any psychologist and get a thousand answers but I think this is a good exhibition to think of 'why do we paint ourselves?' Saying I am here, this is how I want to be seen, this is how I want to present myself, and asking the world to meet you there.”

— Suzi Oppenheimer, Ponsold-Motherwell Curatorial Fellow and Research Associate, American Folk Art Museum

What’s next

The 'Self-Made' exhibition will be on display at the American Folk Art Museum through September 13, 2026, providing visitors the opportunity to explore how self-taught artists have used self-representation to assert their creative identities.

The takeaway

The 'Self-Made' exhibition at the American Folk Art Museum offers a unique and insightful look into how artists without formal training have used self-portraiture, alter egos, and autobiographical works to define themselves on their own terms, challenging traditional narratives and raising broader questions about the human need for self-expression.