Bisa Butler stitches legacy through art

By Simone Denard

Bisa Butler (’95, BFA) is a gifted visual artist, known for her captivating portraits made from quilted fabrics. Butler’s portraits tell the stories of Black culture and history, working primarily from source images to create thought-provoking art. While at Howard, Butler began her studies as a painter before journeying into fiber arts during her graduate program at Montclair State University. 

Butler received Howard’s Distinguished Postgraduate Achievement Award in Fine Arts in 2023. Her work incorporates Ghanaian fabrics, Nigerian batiks and South African textiles to honor African ancestry and its influence on African American culture. 

“All of my pieces are done in life scale to invite the viewer to engage in a dialogue — most figures look the viewers directly in their eyes. I am inviting a reimagining and a contemporary dialogue about age-old issues, still problematic in our culture, through the comforting, embracing medium of the quilt. I am expressing what I believe is the equal value of all humans,” said Butler. 

Before turning into a full-time artist, Butler spent 13 years teaching art in public high schools, inspiring talented students to depict Black life through art. This commitment earned her recognition both nationally and internationally, with exhibitions in the U.S. and abroad. Today, Butler’s quilts serve as striking, modern monuments — woven symbols of history, identity and the lasting displays of Black representation.