On a Thursday afternoon, I ventured from Washington DC to Baltimore to attend my first media preview. I am humbled to share that I was able to preview “The Joyce J. Scott: Walk a Mile in My Dreams” exhibition at The Baltimore Museum of Art. Special thank you to Anne and Sarah for understanding my mission of The Black Curation.
The Joyce J. Scott: Walk a Mile in My Dreams” exhibition took five years to materialize, yet for the artist Joyce J. Scott, it was a culmination of 50 years of her artistic vision and craft. The exhibition features nearly 140 works from the 1970s to present day. The media preview started with Joyce seated in this majestic fortress adorned with beads, ribbons, and her family heirloom of quilts from her late mother, maternal grandparents, and godmother surrounding different parts of the fortress, a symbol of their continued protection of her. This installation piece is titled, The Threads That Unite My Seat to Knowledge.
As we toured several spaces, you will see endless sculptures, jewelry, textiles, artwear garments, performance compilations, print, mixed-media installations, and a large-scale commission. Scott’s work confronts racism, sexism, classism, and “all the ‘isms’ society offers” through her lens and extensive travels throughout the globe. No matter the medium, Scott is teaching viewers a history lesson, forcing them to be in awe of the work but question how we play a part in history, whether we are the oppressed or the oppressors. Scott brings humor to some of these topics, which you’ll see throughout the exhibition.
If you plan on going to this exhibit, which you should, one of the most striking parts of Scott’s artwork is not just the message but the craftsmanship. Throughout the exhibition, her meticulous attention to detail and respect for diverse techniques employed by local artisans from around the globe shine through in her work across various mediums.
The exhibition will officially open to the public on March 24, 2024, and conclude on July 14, 2024. Later in the year, it will move to the Seattle Art Museum, debuting on October 17, 2024. One noteworthy aspect of the exhibition is a communal weaving area located towards its conclusion. This space is designed to engage visitors in the collaborative art form. Scott and other teaching artists will periodically activate the loom and tables, welcoming visitors to participate at any time. Completed weaving works will be showcased in the gallery and subsequently raffled, with proceeds supporting a scholarship fund established by the artist at the Maryland Institute College of Art.
The exhibit’s free admission days are March 24, April 11, and June 23. While you are at the museum, make sure you go to the third floor to view the work of Scott’s mother. The exhibition is titled Eyewinkers, Tumbleturds, and Candlebugs: The Art of Elizabeth Talford Scott and will close on April 28, 2024. For events and programming surrounding this exhibit, please visit https://artbma.dev/events.
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