Mia Voices

The Project:

After analyzing Mia’s Strategic plan, I created Mia Voices, a project to bring the museum’s mission and vision to life by creating a series that features non-curatorial voices about artworks in Mia’s collection. I produced this project from start to finish: from concept, stakeholder buy-in, production, and presentation. The project is part of the Mapping Black Identities exhibition both in the galleries and online.

The Outcome:

There are many ways of knowing. Alone we know a little; together we know a lot. As stewards of the objects housed in the Minneapolis Institute of Art, it is our responsibility to provide visitors with a rich understanding of our collections, which includes sharing voices beyond traditional curatorial scholarship. By sharing lived experience and personal stories, we enrich and supplement the knowledge of our collections, center empathy in interpretation, and provide a rich and relevant visitor experience.

Featuring Esther Callahan

Mia Voices: Staff and community perspectives on Mia’s collections Mia Voices centers non-curatorial/lived experience to add richness to the presentation and understanding of Mia’s collections and humanity's cultural heritage. In the video series, community members and museum staff use art as a catalyst to share personal stories and discuss contemporary social issues. Mia Voices: Esther Callahan, Ford and Walton Curatorial Affairs Fellow 2018-2019 Featured artwork: Lynette Yiadom-Boakye English, born 1977 Shelves for Dynamite, 2018 Oil on linen Private collection; promised gift on long-term loan to Mia L2018.228.1a–c

Featuring Keisha Williams

Mia Voices Staff and community perspectives on Mia’s collections Mia Voices centers non-curatorial/lived experience to add richness to the presentation and understanding of Mia’s collections and humanity's cultural heritage. In the video series, community members and museum staff use art as a catalyst to share personal stories and discuss contemporary social issues. Mia Voices: Keisha Williams, Curatorial Department Assistant and Artist Liaison, Contemporary Art Featured artwork: Kwame Brathwaite American, born 1938 Untitled (Black Is Beautiful Poster from 1970), 1970 (printed 2018) Archival pigment print Courtesy the artist and Philip Martin Gallery, Los Angeles