THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART (MoMA) asked photographer Brigitte Lacombe to create a visual commission (read photographic portraits and a video) for its Creative New York platform featuring the young curators, artists, fellows and collaborators who represent “the face of MoMA’s future.” A demographically diverse group of creatives was selected to participate.
All the research and reports about the state of museum’s emphasize female leadership is generally relegated to smaller or culturally specific museums, and that there is an embarrassing lack of racial and ethnic diversity found among curatorial, conservation, and education programming staffs. If museums are going to survive, thrive, and appeal to a new generation of visitors, it is imperative that their boards, staffs, and programming reflect their communities.
MoMA seems to be making a admirable effort on this front, in terms of up-and-coming staffers and innovative programming. A few years ago, the museum inaugurated Pop Rally, a series of events developed to “serve as a gateway for young and diverse audiences to engage with MoMA.” Pop Rally performances, artist collaborations, film screenings, and digital content, such as the project with Lacombe, are organized by staff from across departments at MoMA and MoMA PS1.
MoMA seems to be making a concerted effort on this front. A few years ago, the museum inaugurated Pop Rally, a series of events developed to “serve as a gateway for young and diverse audiences to engage with MoMA.”
Creative New York is a Pop Rally project. Lacombe’s commission features associate curator Thomas J. Lax, from MoMA’s Department of Media and Performance Art; MoMA PS1 curatorial assistant Taja Cheek; and artist/musician Dreamcrusher, among others, talking briefly about recent exhibitions and projects.
Akili Tommasino, a curatorial assistant in MoMA’s Department of Painting and Sculpture, and artist Clifford Owens reflect on their collaboration for the exhibition “Project 107: Lone Wolfe Recital Corps.,” and accompanying performances.
Curatorial assistant Michelle Millar Fisher, from MoMA’s Department of Architecture and Design, helped organize “Items: Is Fashion Modern?” (on view through January 28, 2018). In the video, she is paired with Pyer Moss designer Kerby Jean-Raymond, whose work is presented in “Items,” the museum’s first show about fashion design in more 70 years—and only the second in its nearly 90-year history.
Jean-Raymond said: “What I wanted to show was how the predominance of police violence and police brutality was just in everything that we do so it was inescapable, but in fashion for whatever reason everyone was still silent about it.” CT
BOOKSHELF
To document its rare foray into fashion design, MoMA published “Items: Is Fashion Modern?” to accompany the exhibition. “Terry Adkins: Recital” is the first career-spanning volume to explore the work of Terry Adkins (1953-2014) who founded the Lone Wolfe Recital Corps.
