ANNA K. MEREDITH GALLERY, COWLES SCULPTURE COURT AND MEREDITH GALLERY IN THE I.M. PEI BUILDING
OCTOBER 3, 2020 – JANUARY 17, 2021
CO-CURATED BY MITCHELL SQUIRE AND JORDAN WEBER
Black Stories presents the artwork by Black artists in the Des Moines Art Center’s permanent collections, and aims to connect and partner with the community in the process. Two artists, Mitchell Squire and Jordan Weber, co-curated the exhibition component of the project. A group of Black community leaders forms an advisory committee to direct their work. This collaborative effort marks a fundamental change in how the Art Center operates, moving them towards a more inclusive future.
In addition to the exhibition, the Art Center’s Black Stories project invites audience members to share their personal stories and experiences in response to the artworks in the show. These reflections will be collected in a variety of ways—in the galleries, through programs and one-on-one conversations, and through social media outlets such as Facebook, email, and our website. These stories will be included in a book that the Art Center will publish after the show closes to document the project and the people who made it happen.
