[Pittsburgh, PA, February 20, 2024] – ALMA | LEWIS is proud to announce the third session in the 2024 By Any Means Speaker Series (BAM), featuring Dr. Kelli Morgan, Senior Curator and Interim Vice-President of Exhibitions and Programs at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit, MI. The event will be held at The Frick Pittsburgh on March 23rd at 4:00 PM EST.
Dr. Kelli Morgan’s lecture, titled To Turn Adversity into Advancement, will explore specific strategies she has employed to transform adverse conditions into opportunities for advancement for students, colleagues, and the field of African American art and visual culture at large.
Kilolo Luckett, Executive Director of ALMA | LEWIS, expressed her enthusiasm for Dr. Kelli Morgan’s upcoming lecture, stating, “We are honored to welcome Dr. Kelli Morgan to the BAM stage and to Pittsburgh for the first time. Dr. Morgan is a dear colleague and expert in championing the work and scholarship of underrepresented voices in the museum field as a whole. Her insights into confronting adversity and promoting advancement resonate deeply with our mission to foster inclusive and equitable spaces within the arts.”
With over a decade of scholarly dedication to investigating anti-blackness within American art, Dr. Kelli Morgan has become a leading voice in challenging traditional art history and museum practices that uphold white supremacy. Her extensive curatorial experience spans various prestigious institutions, including the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, the Birmingham Museum of Art, and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
“Museums play a powerful role in shaping how societies see themselves,” said Frick Executive Director Elizabeth Barker. “We show visitors whose cultural experiences are worthy of scholarship and exhibition. Dr. Kelli Morgan’s important work is expanding the way we think about and curate African American visual culture. The Frick Pittsburgh is honored to partner with ALMA | LEWIS to bring Dr. Morgan to Pittsburgh for this very special presentation.”
In collaboration with The Frick Pittsburgh, ALMA | LEWIS is thrilled to present this session as part of its commitment to fostering dialogue and promoting multiculturalism within the arts.
Event Details:
Event: By Any Means Speaker Series
Speaker: Dr. Kelli Morgan
Date: March 23, 2024
Time: 4:00 PM EST
Location: The Frick Pittsburgh
Free with advanced registration here.
Martha Jackson Jarvis, distinguished sculptor and mixed-media artist will conclude this season of the By Any Means Speaker Series on Saturday, May 11, 2024. For more information and to register for this event and others, please visit ALMA | LEWIS online.
About ALMA | LEWIS
ALMA | LEWIS (A | L) is an experimental, contemporary art platform for critical thinking, constructive dialogue, and creative expression dedicated to Black culture. Formerly incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in 2017, A | L established a physical space in the fall of 2021 in the East End of Pittsburgh. A | L creates supportive artist residencies that encourages the rigorous artistic practice of visual and literary artists; curates world-class exhibitions to present exciting, provocative work from early and mid-career artists; provides access to the Black Archive — a non-circulating collection of unique books, exhibition publications, ephemera, and artwork connected to and about Black arts and culture; and presents By Any Means, a contemporary art series that examines the significant influence of Black culture and art in society and aims to create a forum where artists, cultural workers, and writers share knowledge and resources, connect with the larger community of the art world, and ensure that Pittsburgh’s cultural institutions truly reflect the diversity of our city in their assets, stakeholders, and decision makers.
About The Frick Pittsburgh
The Frick Pittsburgh offers authentic experiences with art, history and nature that inspire and delight. Visitors of all ages and backgrounds are warmly welcomed to explore collections of fine and decorative arts, vehicles, historic objects, and buildings – including Clayton, the Frick family home and only intact Gilded Age mansion remaining from Pittsburgh’s Millionaire’s Row – left as a legacy to the people of Pittsburgh by Helen Clay Frick, daughter of noted industrialist and art collector Henry Clay Frick. Alongside these treasures, the Frick offers an active schedule of temporary exhibitions and programs on our 10-acre garden campus in the heart of Pittsburgh’s East End. Information about The Frick Pittsburgh is available online at TheFrickPittsburgh.org.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Cydney Nunn