Museum of the African Diaspora

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Museum of the African Diaspora members stand outside the museum, awaiting a tour. MoAD Members Outside.jpg
Museum of the African Diaspora members stand outside the museum, awaiting a tour.

The Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) is a contemporary art museum in San Francisco, California. MoAD holds exhibitions and presents artists exclusively of the African diaspora, one of only a few museums of its kind in the United States. Located at 685 Mission St. and occupying the first three floors of the St. Regis Museum Tower in the Yerba Buena Arts District, MoAD is a nonprofit organization as well as a Smithsonian Affiliate. Prior to 2014, MoAD educated visitors on the history, culture, and art of the African diaspora through permanent and rotating exhibitions. [1] [2] After a six-month refurbishment in 2014 to expand the gallery spaces, the museum reopened and transitioned into presenting exclusively fine arts exhibitions. [1] [2] MoAD does not have a permanent collection and instead works directly with artists or independent curators when developing exhibitions.

Contents

Mission

MoAD "celebrates Black cultures, ignites challenging conversations, and inspires learning through the global lens of the African Diaspora." [3]

History

MoAD was developed as part of a public/private partnership led by the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency. In 1999, the City of San Francisco created a mandate to include an African-American cultural presence in the last vacant parcel of Yerba Buena Gardens. San Francisco Mayor Willie L. Brown appointed a steering committee to determine the mission and scope of a cultural facility within the complex.

The African American Cultural Institute grew out of a research and development process that began in 2002. The new museum was renamed the Museum of the African Diaspora to reflect a broadened scope and mission, and incorporated as a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization. The space was designed by the Freelon Group within the St. Regis Museum Tower, a 42-story skyscraper that apart from the museum consists of luxury condominiums and a five-star hotel. MoAD opened its doors in 2005. [4]

Linda Harrison was appointed as the executive director of MoAD in November 2013. [1] In June 2014, MoAD underwent a six-month renovation that created more gallery space and refreshed the museum's overall look. [1] [2] By October 2014, MoAD was named an official Smithsonian Affiliate. Harrison left MoAD in 2018 to head the Newark Museum in New Jersey. [5]

Monetta White, who has been involved with MoAD since its inception in 2005, was appointed as executive director in December 2019. [6] [7]

The Original Museum of the African Diaspora

Before 2014, when the MoAD revised its mission to center on contemporary art, [1] [2] the museum introduced visitors to the original African diaspora—the original movement of Homo sapiens (from the earliest human remains found in Africa)—to eventually all inhabited regions. The museum asks visitors "when did you first realize you are African?" The museum espouses the scientifically accepted idea of panethnicity, wherein all humans have a common African origin.

Emerging Artists Program

The Emerging Artists Program at the Museum of the African Diaspora was launched concurrently with the celebration of the institution's 10th anniversary, and receives support from the Institute of Museum and Library services. [8]

Past exhibitions

ExhibitionDate
Let Your Motto Be ResistanceApril 4, 2009 – June 14, 2009
The Art of Richard MayhewOctober 10, 2009 – March 7, 2010
African ContinuumApril 20, 2010 – September 26, 2010
Art/Object: Re-Contextualizing African ArtOctober 7, 2010 – January 17, 2011
Textual Rhythms: Constructing the Jazz Tradition, Contemporary African American QuiltsJanuary 27, 2011 – April 24, 2011
From Process to Print: Graphic Works by Romare BeardenMay 6, 2011 – July 3, 2011
Soulful Stitching: Patchwork Quilts by African (Siddis) in IndiaJuly 15, 2011 – September 25, 2011
Collected: Stories of Acquisition and ReclamationOctober 7, 2011 – March 4, 2012
Choose Paint! Choose Abstraction!: Celebrating Bay Area Abstract ArtistsMarch 22, 2012 – September 23, 2012
Tuareg and Anima: Photographs of GRACE by Elisabeth SundayOctober 5, 2012 – January 21, 2013
Desert Jewels: North African Jewelry and Photography from the Xavier Guerrand-Hermès CollectionOctober 5, 2012 – January 21, 2013
The Kinsey Collection: Shared Treasures of Bernard and Shirley Kinsey, Where Art History IntersectFebruary 8, 2013 – May 19, 2013
J.D. ‘Okhai Ojeikere: Sartorial Moments and the Nearness of YesterdayJune 20, 2013 – November 24, 2013
Crosscurrents: Africa and Black Diasporas in Dialogue, 1960-1980December 5, 2013 – April 13, 2014
Drapetomanía: Grupo Antillano and the Art of Afro-CubaDecember 1, 2014 – January 4, 2015
The Art of Elizabeth CatlettJanuary 16, 2015 – April 5, 2105
Lave Thomas: BeyondDecember 3, 2014 – April 5, 2015
Marie Johnson Calloway: Legacy of ColorFebruary 4, 2015 – April 12, 2015
Portraits and Other Likenesses from SFMOMAMay 8, 2015 – October 11, 2015
Four Themes: Emerging Artist: Time RoseboroughNovember 11, 2015 – January 18, 2016
Ghosts/Ships: Emerging Artists: Cheryl Patrice DerricotteJanuary 27, 2016 – April 3, 2016
Alison Saar: BearingNovember 11, 2015 – April 3, 2016
Who Among Us...The Art of Kenyatta A.C.HinkleNovember 11, 2015 – April 3, 2016
Finding the I in Diaspora: From the MoAD ArchivesNovember 11, 2015 – April 3, 2016
The Grace Jones ProjectApril 27, 2016 – September 18, 2016
Dandy Lion: (Re)Articulating Black Masculine IdentityApril 27, 2016 – September 18, 2016
Bayview Portraits by Byron MalikOctober 16, 2016 – November 3, 2016
Finding the 'I' in Diaspora Bayview Popup: From the MoAD archivesJuly 15, 2016 – November 3, 2016
MoAD Emerging Artists Presents Nyame Brown: Classroom in NevérÿonOctober 26, 2016 – January 16, 2017
MoAD Emerging Artists Presents Helina Metafaria: Home FreeJanuary 25, 2017 – April 2, 2017
Urban AfricaOctober 26, 2016 – April 2, 2017
Where is HereOctober 26, 2016 – April 2, 2017
A Matter of Fact: Toyin Ojih OdutolaOctober 26, 2016 – April 2, 2017
MoAD Emerging Artists presents Lili Bernard: Antebellum AppropriationsApril 26, 2017 – June 25, 2017
MoAD Emerging Artists presents Angie Keller: The Gladioli of El CarmenJuly 5, 2017 – August 27, 2017
Todd Gray: My life in the Bush with MJ and IggyApril 26, 2017 – August 27, 2017
The Ease of FictionApril 26, 2017 – August 27, 2017
Love or Confusion: Jimi Hendrix in 1967April 26, 2017 – August 27, 2017
MoAD Emerging Artists presents Ebitenyefa Baralaye: Many RoomsSeptember 20, 2017 – November 26, 2017
MoAD Emerging Artists presents Simone Bailey: Let There Be DarknessDecember 6, 2017 – March 4, 2018
Otra Mas': 40 Years of Carnaval in San FrancsicoSeptember 20, 2017 – March 4, 2018
En Mas': Carnival and Performance Art of the CaribbeanSeptember 20, 2017 – March 4, 2018
MoAD Emerging Artists presents Andrew Wilson: Equivalencies: Abandoned BodiesMarch 28, 2018 – June 3, 2018
MoAD Emerging Artists presents summer mason: GeminiJune 20, 2018 – August 26, 2018
Digitalia: Art & the Economy of IdeasMarch 28, 2018 – August 26, 2018
After the Thrill is Gone: Fashion, Politics and Culture in Contemporary South African ArtMarch 28, 2018 – August 26, 2018
MoAD Emerging Artists presents Indira Allegra: B O D Y W A R PSeptember 19, 2018 – November 4, 2018
MoAD Emerging Artists presents 5/5 Collective: black now(here)November 11, 2018 – December 15, 2018
I TOLD YOU WHO AM I: Shushan TesfuzigtaSeptember 19, 2018 – December 16, 2018
Second Look, Twice: Selections from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family FoundationSeptember 19, 2018 – December 16, 2018
Ficre Ghebreyesus: City with a River Running ThroughSeptember 19, 2018 – December 16, 2018
Sadie Barnette: Phone HomeJanuary 16, 2019 – April 14, 2019
Black Refractions: Highlight from the Studio Museum in HarlemJanuary 16, 2019 – April 14, 2019
Rodney Ewing: Longitude + LatitudeMay 8, 2019 – June 23, 2019
Sydney Cain: Refutations [11] October 20, 2021 - December 19, 2021
Billie Zangewa: Thread for a Web Begun [11] October 20, 2021 - February 27, 2022
Amoako Boafo: Soul of Black Folks [11] October 20, 2021 - February 27, 2022
Beyond the Sky Film exhibition [11] October 20, 2021 - February 27, 2022
Cynthia Aurora Brannvall: The Threads That Bind [11] March 31, 2022 - June 12, 2022
Elegies - Still Lifes in Contemporary Art [11] March 31, 2022 - August 21, 2022
Richard-Jonathan Nelson: Interlacing distributed intelligence/ noir care [11] June 22, 2022 - September 18, 2022
Sam Vernon: Impasse of Desires [11] March 31, 2022 - September 18, 2022
David Huffman: Terra Incognita [11] March 31, 2022 - September 18, 2022
Trina Michelle Robinson: Excavation: Past, Present and Future [11] October 5, 2022 - December 11, 2022

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Garcia, David L. (2014-12-14). "Museum of the African Diaspora's Rebirth: Q&A with MoAD Director Linda Harrison". SF Weekly. Retrieved 2016-04-27.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Winn, Steven (1 December 2014). "MoAD reopens with big changes and big plans". SFGate. Retrieved 2016-04-27.
  3. ↑ "About | Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD)". www.moadsf.org. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  4. ↑ "Our History". MoAD Museum of African Diaspora. Retrieved 2016-04-27.
  5. ↑ Desmarais, Charles (2018-10-11). "Leadership changes announced at Contemporary Jewish Museum, Museum of the African Diaspora". Datebook | San Francisco Arts & Entertainment Guide. Retrieved 2019-03-12.
  6. ↑ "Monetta White to Lead San Francisco's Museum of the African Diaspora". www.artforum.com. 2019-12-04. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  7. ↑ "Monetta White Appointed Executive Director". Contemporary And (in German). 2019-12-04. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  8. 1 2 "Emerging Artists Program - MoAD Museum of African Diaspora". MoAD Museum of African Diaspora. Retrieved 2017-02-26.
  9. ↑ "Previous Emerging Artists Exhibitions - MoAD Museum of African Diaspora". MoAD Museum of African Diaspora. Retrieved 2017-02-26.
  10. ↑ "Conjuring an Afrofuturist Classroom with Paint and Chalk". Hyperallergic. 2016-12-27. Retrieved 2017-02-26.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Exhibitions - Past | Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD)". www.moadsf.org. Retrieved 2023-02-28.

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