“Black art must take more risks! Black art must take more risks!” In 1980, the artist Lorraine O’Grady interrupted the opening-night benefit of Just Above Midtown—a gallery founded by Linda Goode Bryant in 1974 that championed primarily Black artists and artists of color from New York City and Los Angeles. O’Grady made a scene as her performance persona Mlle Bourgeoise Noire (Miss Black Middle Class), a French-Guianese pageant winner dressed in a handmade ball gown made of 180 pairs of white gloves…

E. Jane’s first solo institutional exhibition Where there’s love overflowing is on view at The Kitchen through May 14, 2022. While the artist was installing their work at The Kitchen, Curatorial Intern Alexis Jacquet spoke them about the intersection of art and music, and the research behind the new pieces created for this exhibition. In the conversation below, they get into the legacy of Black femmes in the music industry, how history informs the work of music covers, the realities of working as both visual and performing artist, and the power of love…

Annie-B Parson is the co-founder and Artistic Director of Big Dance Theater, a company known for merging dance, theater, music, and visual design that celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2021. Parson's work focuses on choreographing momentary realms—using a variety of elements such as “mood, tonality, and color” to engage the audience while releasing the need for linear structure….