who announced at the end of last week<\/a> that they were instating a white woman for their curator of African Art.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Amanda M. Maples, who has served as a Curator of African Art at the North Carolina Museum of Art and Guest Curator at the National Museum of African Art, seems to have strong qualifications in this sector. With a focus on broadening museums\u2019 scope and insight on the works they hold from Africa as well as collaborating with modern artists and curators in Africa, her credentials and drive are apparent.<\/p>\n
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But especially when, as the New Orleans Museum of Art states, their collection of African art \u201cis considered one of the most important in the United States,\u201d it raises the question as to why one wouldn\u2019t seek above all things a candidate with a lived cultural tie to the work. This, in varying degrees of outrage and thoughtfulness, is what made up the bulk of comments on the museum\u2019s social media when they announced Maples as their Fran\u00e7oise Billion Richardson Curator of African Art.<\/p>\n
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Since, the museum has been active in responses on their social media. \u201cWe are committed to taking this moment to learn and take action,\u201d NOMA states on their Instagram post. \u201cIn the immediate future, we will host a town hall to openly discuss race and equity within museums. We recognize that listening is only a small part of honoring our commitment to being an inclusive and anti-racist institution.\u201d<\/p>\n
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While the New Orleans Museum of Art may have believed itself to be aiming towards a progressive fostering of connection with African art through their appointment of Maples, it is clear that they have missed the mark with this oversight. More than ever, arts institutions are being held to task to not only state support but include diverse voices within their power structures when it pertains to BIPOC art. There may very well be a pivot of decision to come, but the optics of the situation has clearly already made its mark.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
While there has been an onus now more than ever on having representative staffing and positions of power within museum and gallery frameworks, institutions do still fall into old pitfalls that are pointed out quicker than ever. That\u2019s just what\u2019s happened with the New Orleans Museum of Art, who announced at the end of last […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24541","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-call-for-artists"],"yoast_head":"\n
New Orleans Museum of Art appoints white curator for African art - United Arts Agency | UAA<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n