Today the Art21 Magazine launched its Spring 2018 issue, “Rights of Passage.” Inspired by contemporary artists using their work to address social and political inequities, the issue will reflect on the importance of access to culture, and the power of art and artists to expand access to healthcare, education, and more.

Our executive director and chief curator Tina Kukielski introduces the issue in her “Letter from the Editor,” in which she stresses the importance of thinking beyond established binaries to understand the complexities artists address through their work. Also included in the issue is a unit plan by Educator-in-Residence Jocelyn Salaz, in which students investigate the role color plays in considerations of identity and community. The final article in today’s issue launch is an interview with the late abstract painter Jack Whitten, in which the artist reflects on his childhood and the inequality he faced as a Black artist.

Check back on the Art21 Magazine through the end of June for new essays and articles on immigration, disability rights, healthcare, and more.