What stories do you know about your family's past? Are there any missing details you're curious about or would like to learn?  Simone Leigh (born in Chicago in 1967) is an artist who brings untold stories to life through her art. She explores themes of identity (all the things that make you who you are), history, and how the past still shapes the way things are now. Most importantly, she centers her work around the stories and experiences of Black women. She does this by creating artworks that represent Black women in various aspects of life, choosing stories about them that not many people know.

Get To Know Simone Leigh is a part of the Hirshhorn KIDS About the Artist series. About the Artist biographies are designed for kids under age 12. Modern and contemporary artists' lives reflect recent human history ​and events. Sharing these life stories and artworks can help kids see their own potential and better understand the world and their place in it. It is our goal to inspire future generations of artists, makers​, and creative problem solvers—sharing artists stories is one way Hirshhorn KIDS realize this goal.

Use it in the classroom to teach:

Art classroom: Sculpting, Storytelling

Language Arts classroom: Biography

Social Studies classroom: 20th century, 21st century