EARLIER THIS WEEK, the Studio Museum in Harlem made two major announcements. The storied institution that describes itself as a nexus for artists of African descent has tapped Amanda Hunt (at right) to join its curatorial team. The Philadelphia native will serve as assistant curator, filling a coveted post left vacant when Thomas J. Lax was appointed associate curator at the Museum of Modern Art in May.
A curator at LAXART in Los Angeles, Hunt helped produce the Pacific Standard Time Public Art and Performance Festival with the Getty Research Institute in 2012 and “Made in L.A. 2012″ with the Hammer Museum. Earlier this year, she curated Portland2014, Oregon’s statewide biennial.
“I’ve truly enjoyed being a part of the close-knit West Coast creative community,” Hunt said in a release, “but I am thrilled to be returning to New York to serve the vital and expanding mission of the Studio Museum under Thelma Golden’s leadership.”
“I am thrilled to be returning to New York to serve the vital and expanding mission of the Studio Museum under Thelma Golden’s leadership.”
— Amanda Hunt
THE MUSEUM ALSO SHARED the names of its 2014-15 class of artists in residents: Sadie Barnette, Lauren Halsey and Eric Mack. In the announcement, Director and Chief Curator Thelma Golden, emphasized that the museum’s residency program “continues its ardent support of emerging artists.” The 11-month program provides each artist with free studio space at the museum, a $20,000 fellowship and $1,000 for materials.
“Untitled,” 2012 by Sadie Barnette | Photo by Adam Reich, Courtesy more info Studio Museum in Harlem
Working across photography, installation, performance, drawing and zines, SADIE BARNETTE “is interested in consumerism, economics and quotidian aspects of West Coast hip hop culture.” Born in Oakland, Calif., she earned her MFA at UC San Diego and her work was included in “Fore,” the Studio Museum’s 2012 emerging artists exhibition. sadiebarnette.com
“Kingdom Splurge (2.4.6.14),” 2014 by Lauren Halsey | Photo by Fumikazu Ishino, Courtesy Studio Museum in Harlem
Los Angeles native LAUREN HALSEY “creates site-specific installations or ‘kingdoms,’ built environments inspired by the speculative nature of Funk.” She holds an MFA from Yale and recently completed a residency at Skowhegan.
“Finding Comfort in Easy Distinction,” 2014 by Eric Mack | Photo by Adam Reich, Courtesy Studio Museum in Harlem
Born in Columbia, Md., ERIC MACK holds an MFA from Yale and was featured in “Fore,” the Studio Museum’s 2012 emerging artists exhibition. He “explores abstraction and gesture in the artistic fields of painting and fashion.” eric-mack.com
MORE THAN 100 ARTISTS have participated in the museum’s artist in residence program since 1968. David Hammons, Kerry James Marshall, Wangechi Mutu, Kara Walker and Kehinde Wiley are among the critically recognized graduates of the residency program and earlier this month, three alum (Dave McKenzie, Julie Mehretu and Mickalene Thomas) were nominated for the Smithsonian’s James Dicke Contemporary Art Prize.
“Material Histories,” an exhibition presenting the work of the museum’s current resident artists (Kevin Beasley, Bethany Collins and Abigail DeVille) is on view through Oct. 26. CT
TOP IMAGE: By Sharon Suh, Courtesy Studio Museum in Harlem
