Sharif Bey: Homecoming
Sharif Bey, Crown Series: Iris, 2024, Courtesy of the artist and albertz benda, photo: Kohler Co., courtesy of John Michael Kohler Arts Center
For immediate release
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
The Andy Warhol Museum announces Sharif Bey: Homecoming, on view June 26 – October 12, 2026.
Drawing from Pittsburgh-born ceramic artist, sculptor and educator Sharif Bey’s experiences across various creative communities, residencies and partnerships, this exhibition celebrates Bey’s return to his hometown and the wealth of techniques, connections and artistic insights he brings back with him. Bey creates complex sculptures inspired by modernism, functional pottery and Oceanic and African art. With references to childhood memories of Pittsburgh’s urban landscape, his work provides commentary on identity and home that has multiple interpretations: the physical return to a meaningful place of origin, an introspective journey through personal history and memory and a reconnection with artistic roots and traditions.
Bey’s monumental ceramic sculptures will be shown alongside artwork from The Warhol’s permanent collection by Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat. All three artists engage deeply with themes of identity, culture and societal commentary, and their shared and diverging histories create dynamic dialogues on the complexity of American art.
Homecoming celebrates community arts education and highlights Pittsburgh’s enduring role as a crucible for artistic innovation, continuing the city’s rich tradition of supporting local communities and artists—an essential factor in Sharif Bey’s development and emergence as a significant voice in contemporary art.
“Sharif Bey’s experimentation with new methods and materials culminates in his latest body of work in the exhibition,” said Nicole Dezelon, senior director of learning & public engagement and curator of Homecoming. “Presenting his work alongside Warhol and Basquiat fosters a dynamic exchange of ideas, highlighting the interplay of personal history within broader cultural narratives and inviting reflection on our own identities and connections to place.”
“I’m excited to become a part of the Pittsburgh landscape in a more intentional way, said Bey. “I can come back and think about what I have to offer this thriving arts community at this stage of my life and to rediscover what Pittsburgh has to offer me.”
Generous support of Sharif Bey: Homecoming is provided by Arts, Equity, & Education Fund™, and The Fine Foundation. The accompanying exhibition catalogue is funded by Arts, Equity, & Education Fund™ and The Fine Foundation.
A press preview of the exhibition that includes a tour with artist Sharif Bey and Nicole Dezelon, senior director of learning & public engagement, will take place on Thursday, June 25, 2026 at 2 p.m. at The Warhol. Reservations are required. Email press@warhol.org.
The Warhol receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency; and The Heinz Endowments. Further support is provided by the Allegheny Regional Asset District.
The Andy Warhol Museum
Located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the place of Andy Warhol’s birth, The Andy Warhol Museum holds the largest collection of Warhol’s artworks and archival materials and is one of the most comprehensive single-artist museums in the world. The Warhol is one of the four Carnegie Museums.
Carnegie Museums
Established in 1895 by Andrew Carnegie, Carnegie Museums is a collection of four distinctive museums: Carnegie Museum of Art, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Science Center, and The Andy Warhol Museum. The museums reach more than 1.4 million people a year through exhibitions, educational programs, outreach activities, and special events.
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Press Images
Sharif Bey, Crown Series: Iris, 2024, Courtesy of the artist and albertz benda, photo: Kohler Co., courtesy of John Michael Kohler Arts Center
Sharif Bey, Crown Series: Iris, 2024, Courtesy of the artist and albertz benda, photo: Kohler Co., courtesy of John Michael Kohler Arts Center
Downloads
Sharif Bey, Domestic: Queen, 2024, New Orleans Museum of Art: Museum purchase, William McDonald Boles and Eva Carol Boles Fund, Courtesy of the artist and New Orleans Museum of Art
Sharif Bey, Domestic: Queen, 2024, New Orleans Museum of Art: Museum purchase, William McDonald Boles and Eva Carol Boles Fund, Courtesy of the artist and New Orleans Museum of Art
Downloads
Sharif Bey, Crown Series installation view, 2024, photo: Kohler Co., courtesy of John Michael Kohler Arts Center.
Sharif Bey, Crown Series installation view, 2024, photo: Kohler Co., courtesy of John Michael Kohler Arts Center.
Downloads
Sharif Bey, Guardian Series: Blink, 2023, Courtesy the artist and albertz benda
Sharif Bey, Guardian Series: Blink, 2023, Courtesy the artist and albertz benda
