WASHINGTON — A new exhibit devoted to contemporary Black designers opens Friday at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. It will be displayed in the new space -- the Rhimes Family Foundation Visual Arts Gallery.
“Reclaiming My Time,” the first exhibition in the space, will feature chairs and other work by designers who engage with ideas related to rest, repose, and histories of labor and leisure. There will be 15 objects from the museum’s collection, spanning seating, lighting, photography and graphic design in the space.
“The rich history and ongoing excellence of Black design is one of the many aspects of Black culture we feature in the museum—and with this show that form of Black creativity is all the more highlighted for its artistry as well as its utility,” Kevin Young, the Andrew W. Mellon Director of the museum, said in a news release. “Especially through highlighting our growing collection of seating designs, we are stressing the importance of taking time for rest and restoration. Our resilience and rejuvenation depend on our ability to rest well.”
The exhibit connects the concepts of resistance and resilience found in the nearby “Reckoning” art exhibition with rest in and among Black communities. Jomo Tariku, Gail Anderson, and Norman Teague are just three of the 15 designers being displayed, and their work weaves new narratives into objects like chairs that are used daily.
Taken from a phrase popularized by Congresswoman Maxine Waters in 2017 during a hearing on Capitol Hill, “Reclaiming My Time” became an anthem for those refusing to let their time be misspent, the museum stated.
The exhibit, which will be in the 300-square-foot gallery, will remain on view for one year before showcasing rotating displays related to design and architecture. The space will also include books related to design, rest and self-reflection, such as Tricia Hersey’s Rest Is Resistance.
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