Artful Narratives: Great Migration's Influence | Curator Jessica Bell Brown Interview
Welcome aboard 'The Truth in This Art' podcast, under the guidance of your host, Rob Lee. On today’s episode, we have Jessica Bell Brown, the Curator and Department Head for Contemporary Art at the Baltimore Museum of Art, who is renowned for her exceptional exhibition projects. With an impressive portfolio, including "How Do We Know The World?" and "A Movement In Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration," co-organized with the Mississippi Museum of Art, she continues to shape the art landscape. Having held influential positions at esteemed institutions like the Museum of Modern Art and the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Jessica's expertise shines through her thought-provoking exhibitions and insightful writings featured in notable publications.
About A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration
The Great Migration (1915–1970) saw more than six million African Americans leave the South for destinations across the United States. This incredible dispersal of people across the country transformed nearly every aspect of Black life and culture. A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration explores the ways in which its impact reverberates today through newly commissioned works across media by 12 acclaimed Black artists, including Akea Brionne, Mark Bradford, Zoë Charlton, Larry W. Cook, Torkwase Dyson, Theaster Gates Jr., Allison Janae Hamilton, Leslie Hewitt, Steffani Jemison, Robert Pruitt, Jamea Richmond-Edwards, and Carrie Mae Weems.
The exhibition is co-curated by Jessica Bell Brown, Curator and Department Head of Contemporary Art at the BMA and Ryan N. Dennis, Chief Curator and Artistic Director of the Center for Art & Public Exchange (CAPE) at the Mississippi Museum of Art.
The exhibition is co-organized by the Mississippi Museum of Art and the Baltimore Museum of Art.
This exhibition is supported by a grant from the Ford Foundation.
In this podcast:
Jessica discusses her background and journey into art curation, as well as her recent exhibition project, "A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration." Jessica shares the inspiration behind the exhibition and the process of curating and organizing it with her co-curator, Ryan Dennis. She highlights the importance of storytelling, community, and representation in the exhibition, which features the work of twelve artists exploring the impact of the Great Migration. Jessica also discusses some of the surprises and powerful moments she experienced while working on the exhibition.
Mentioned in this episode:
A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration
Photo by Christopher Myers
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This program is supported in part by a grant from the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation.
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Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard.
Episode illustration by Alley Kid Art.
About "The Truth In This Art"
Hosted by Rob Lee, "The Truth In This Art" podcast dives into the heart of creativity and its influence on the community. This arts and culture podcast from Baltimore highlights artists discussing their ideas, sharing insights, and telling impactful stories. Through these artist interviews, listeners gain a deeper understanding of the creative economy and artistic life in Baltimore.
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