Part 1:
This is What I Know About Art, by Kimberly Drew, and Towards Curatorial Activism by Dr. Maura Reilly discussed how mainstream museums lack diversity of artists. Most of the artworks in the MET or MOMA are created by white European men, only a small percentage are from people of color and women. Ben Jones mentioned in his lecture that when he asked his professor if there were any black artists however his professor explained that they would be in their textbooks. Thirty years later, Kimberly Drew encountered a similar experience with her professor. It has been proven many times that not everything goes into a textbook and that does not make those events or people any less important. It is a historian's job to analyze this problem and collect the necessary data to teach the readers the importance of these figures' role in the art world. Writers like Kimberly Drew give us a first point of view experience with art and how it played a role in their lives. Whether they tell their stories on social media or in a book, their words are meant to inspire others to do their own research and spread awareness. Curators organize exhibitions in museums and galleries. Curator activists only set up exhibitions for artists who have been silenced or discriminated against. They provide different perspectives that are needed to reach people who are interested in the arts but don’t know what is happening in the art world.
When I was reading Towards Curatorial Activism by Dr. Maura Reily, they were discussing how discrimination in the art world was rarely challenged and their hegemony discourse was simply “common sense”. The MOMA has been one of many museums that do not represent artworks from different artists and Dr. Maura Reilly has provided an example, “Not only are women and artists of color excluded, but non-Euro-Americans are as well. For instance, MoMA owns just one work by an Australian modernist, Sidney Nolan (After Glenrowan siege (Second Ned Kelly series), and yet it has exhibited it only once since it entered the collection in 1955” (Reilly 12). In class, we discussed the impact the Guerilla Girls had on the art world despite how small the percentage changed since their founding. It showed that all their hard work had an effect and the 10% will eventually rise quickly as new artists begin to show up. Not all curators organize exhibits for white European males, unfortunately, most of them do. It is important to know who the curators are organizing the exhibits and to question their intentions if they are going to be committed to this cause, “I have coined the term ‘curatorial activists’ to describe those individuals who have committed themselves to ‘counter-hegemonic initiatives’ that give voice to those who have been historically silenced or omitted from the ‘master narrative” (14). During our visit to the Lemmerman Gallery, Ben Jones created art to address environmental issues and to give tribute to the African American community. His work is devoted to showing the world of not only African American culture but others as well.
Kimberly Drew’s journey was not an easy one, many opposed her because of her background and the way things were back then. However, her work grabbed many aspiring artists and young adults' attention. While reading her book, two moments had an impact on me, so I want to talk a little more about them. Kimberly Drew wanted to show her mother the art world and share her experiences however there was a problem, “On one hand, I immediately realized that my mother was part of a majority of Black people who do not frequent museums. She'd always been a member of the audience I yearned to invite into the art world. On the other hand, my mother had lived for more than two decades without a visit to a museum, and it seemingly had little impact on her life" (Drew 37). We already established that mainstream museums show artworks from white artists. While their artworks are beautiful, they do not represent distinct cultures and their style. There is no reason for people like her mother to go if the artworks shown in these museums do not resonate with them. People can go live their lives without going to a museum or gallery, but it can leave a sense of appreciation seeing their culture on display. We talked in class about how we need to be strategically active when it comes to our protests. It is not enough to post something on a wall or social media, people must engage in it, and that is what Thelma talked about with Kimberly Drew. “During my meeting with Thelma, she told me about the consequences of my actions and generously of leading with rage, she helped me understand this difficult crossroads” (43). On the first day of class, we discussed what people do as a sign of protest. There are several ways to act, such as going up to people, polling on social media, creating protest art, and providing a website for the specific problem. These methods have worked yet the biggest challenge is to keep the people’s attention to make it the priority.
Part 2:
Envision, Empower, Embrace, 2010
Acrylic and digital print on canvas 86 x 48 inches
The words on the artwork were about the environment and how it will affect us if we keep polluting it. Even though the description said this was made on a canvas, the artwork looks like it was made digitally. Ben Jones talked about the importance of keeping our oceans clean because if the fish get sick then so will we. Many environmental activists took action to clean up garbage from beaches and in the water, but we must also do our part.
Ella Fitzgerald (First Lady of Song), 2002
Mixed media, 18 x 9 1/2 inches
When I was looking at it closely, it reminded me of a hand mirror. I feel like if I did hold it, the artwork would break because it's thinner than it looks. It looks like it's mostly made out of metal and the small, detailed designs could be from paint or a collage. It also has a seashell on the handle to give it a nice touch. Ella Fitzgerald was a world-famous jazz singer; she was called the First Lady of Song because of her vocal range and clear tone.
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Connected, 2022
Acrylic and digital print, 11 x 14 inches
We live in an era where we are all connected through social media and cell phones. We know how to use the internet to our advantage to spread awareness and bring people together through challenging times. It is because of social media that we are aware of what is happening outside and inside the U.S. Although we are more connected online, some of us have become obsessed with it. When I saw this art piece the center caught my eye and I see this as we are so glued to our phones that we become out of touch with our surroundings. It's a useful yet dangerous tool if it is not handled properly.
Sources:
This is what I know about Art by Kimberly Drew
Towards Curatorial Activism by Dr. Maura Reily
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