Betye Saar, a pioneering artist known for her exploration of Black identity, culture, and spirituality, passed away Sunday morning in Los Angeles at the age of 99. Her family confirmed her death on Monday, noting that she was approaching her 100th birthday this week.

Saar emerged as a central figure of the 1960s Black Art Movement, gaining recognition for her innovative assemblage boxes—sculptures created from found objects—and for transforming Jim Crow-era memorabilia into powerful symbols of Black empowerment. Represented by Roberts Projects in Los Angeles, Saar’s work is noted for its rich symbolism and for reflecting the complex environmental, cultural, political, racial, technological, economic, and historical contexts in which it was made.

Born and raised in Pasadena, California, Saar began her artistic career relatively late, transitioning from design to art at age 35. Throughout her long career, she drew influence from the Black artist community in Altadena and early inspirations such as Simon Rodia’s Watts Towers. Her multifaceted practice encompassed painting, printmaking, sculpture, and found-object art, incorporating items like dolls, washboards, and antiques. Recurring motifs in her work include boats, clocks, cages, altars, as well as symbols of the occult and cosmology, with frequent references to her astrological sign, Leo.

One of Saar’s breakthrough pieces, “Black Girl’s Window” (1969), which featured assemblages addressing Black experience, was not widely celebrated in its time but gained recognition decades later. The work entered the collection of New York’s Museum of Modern Art in 2019. Saar herself pointed to the challenges Black artists faced in Los Angeles during the late 1960s, noting the scarcity of galleries that showcased their work.

Perhaps her most influential work, “The Liberation of Aunt Jemima” (1972), confronted the racial stereotypes embedded in Black memorabilia, specifically recasting the “mammy” figure—a minstrel character from the 19th century—in a revolutionary light. The piece features the figure holding a rifle and a hand grenade, a response to the 1968 assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Saar described the work as a transformation from mysticism to militancy, reflecting the anger and determination that followed King’s death. She acknowledged initial hesitation about using such potent imagery but embraced reinterpreting these symbols as acts of empowerment.

Saar’s impact extended beyond her artistic work; she mentored generations of Black artists, including painter Kerry James Marshall. While her art gained some institutional recognition early on—such as a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 1975—major museums only sporadically showcased her work until recent years. In 2019, both the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and MoMA organized concurrent solo exhibitions dedicated to Saar’s art. She was also slated for induction into the American Academy of Arts and Letters in spring 2026.

Documentarian Angela Robinson Witherspoon, who produced a 2023 film titled *Betye Saar: Ready to Be a Warrior*, described Saar as a tireless artist and advocate who challenged the predominantly white male art world. The documentary features interviews with public figures including John Legend and Tina Knowles, highlighting Saar’s personal and professional journey, which included raising three daughters while engaging with the Civil Rights Movement.

Currently, Saar’s work continues to be exhibited, with *Let’s Get It On: The Wearable Art of Betye Saar* on view at Roberts Projects in Los Angeles and a collection of her dolls displayed at the New York Historical Society. Her legacy remains influential in the ongoing dialogue about race, history, and representation in American art.