National Museum of African American History and Culture To Display Space Devoted to Black Design

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture will open a new space in its Visual Arts Gallery. “Reclaiming My Time,” the first exhibition in the space devoted to contemporary Black designers will open Friday, May 31. “Reclaiming My Time” will feature chairs and other work by designers who engage with ideas related to rest, repose and histories of labor and leisure. The space includes 15 objects from the museum’s collection, spanning seating, lighting, photography and graphic design. For more details about this exhibition, visit nmaahc.si.edu/reclaiming.

“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,” said Kevin Young, the Andrew W. Mellon Director of the museum. “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.”

“Reclaiming My Time” connects the concepts of resistance and resilience found in the nearby Reckoning art exhibition with rest in and among Black communities, featuring the display of carefully curated seating and graphic material by contemporary Black designers. The exhibition is centered around 15 designers including Jomo Tariku, Gail Anderson and Norman Teague, whose work weaves new narratives into objects like chairs that are used daily. Through objects and images, “Reclaiming My Time” examines the role of rest as a necessary component of resilience. 

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. 

This 300-square-foot gallery within “Reckoning” focuses on the chairs and stools but also on ideas about rest and restoration involved in making time to sit and reflect. “Reclaiming My Time” 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.  The “Reclaiming My Time” gallery was made possible by significant support from CBRE.

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SI-97-2024