Betye Saar

Betye Saar (July 30, 1926–July 26, 2026) is an American printmaker and assemblage artist. Her practice seeks to dismantle and interrogate stereotypes around race and femininity. History, mysticism, and memory, are central tenants of her practice.  Saar earned a B.A. in design in 1947 from the University of California, Los Angeles. She took graduate study courses from the California State University, Long Beach, University of Southern California, California State University, Northridge, and the American Film Institute. Betye Saar died on July 26, 2026, at her home in Los Angeles. She was 99 years old and only days away from her 100th birthday. Across more than six decades of artmaking, she became one of the most consequential figures in American art and a foundational voice within the Black Arts Movement.