Toward Joy: New Frameworks for American Art
How might American art be experienced at this moment? In honor of its 200th anniversary, the Brooklyn Museum has completely reimagined its American Art galleries, presenting more than 400 works in eight distinct environments, from the bloom-covered walls in “To Give Flowers” to the contemplative respite of “A Quiet Place,” to the chance to strut the runway before an audience of seated portraits in “Several Seats.” Featuring collection highlights like Laura Wheeler Waring’s Woman with Bouquet, recent acquisitions such as Hisako Hibi’s paintings, and layered voices—from curators and artists to Brooklyn Botanic Garden experts and NYC drag performers—the reinstallation acknowledges difficult histories while celebrating beauty, wonder, and joy in American art.
Join us for an evening with the Brooklyn Museum to celebrate the publication of the exhibition catalogue for Toward Joy: New Frameworks for American Art.
From 7pm - 7:30pm, Curators Stephanie Sparling Williams (Andrew W. Mellon Curator of American Art) and Caroline Gillaspie (Assistant Curator of American Art) will take us behind the scenes on the themes, debates, and curatorial process that shaped this monumental reinstallation, sharing insights into how we might re-frame American art for the future.
The talk will be followed by a short audience Q&A and a reception with refreshments. Additionally, the Brooklyn Museum will host a pop-up shop on-site. Be among the first to browse and borrow the new catalogue from the Library’s special collection or purchase a copy!
Participants
Stephanie Sparling Williams is the Andrew W. Mellon Curator of American Art at the Brooklyn Museum. Her curatorial practice is predicated on interdisciplinary research, writing, and teaching on American art, and foregrounds Black Feminist space-making. Her scholarly work is invested in the space of the museum, with a focus on African American art and culture, and the work of U.S.-based artists of color. Related interests include material histories, cross cultural exchange, strategies of address, and contemporary art that engages with the history of the United States.
Caroline Gillaspie is the Assistant Curator of American Art at the Brooklyn Museum. She received her PhD in Art History from the CUNY Graduate Center in 2023 with a focus on eighteenth- and nineteenth-century art of the United States and Latin America. Responding to present-day concerns about climate change and environmental injustice, she often employs an ecocritical approach to her art historical research, focusing on the ways historic artists have represented environmental changes.
