“Then & Now: A Black Craft Symposium” will be a day-long event at the Tennessee State Museum devoted to honoring the legacy of Black craftspeople in Tennessee and examining the state of Black Craft in Tennessee today. Through a variety of programming, the event will highlight the voices of Black craftspeople from the past and present.
This event encourages visitors to learn the history and heritage of Black Tennessee craftspeople and interact with contemporary Black crafts artists. The event is presented in partnership with Tennessee Craft to commemorate the Best of Tennessee Craft 2021 Biennial exhibition, which closes on February 20, 2022.
Seating is limited for each talk. Because there is a cap to how many people can be in the Digital Learning Center, the lectures should be registered for with Eventbrite on the TSM website via a link on the Calendar of Events. Those with tickets will be seated first, and then any available seating will be given on a first come, first-serve basis on the day of the event.
These talks will also be live-streamed and available on the Tennessee State Museum website at TNMuseum.org/Videos. For questions, please contact Morgan Byrn, Public Programs Manager, at Morgan.Byrn@tn.gov.
Schedule of Events
10:00 a.m. Black Craftspeople on the Tennessee Landscape
Dr. Tiffany Momon, Assistant Professor of Southern Studies at the University of the South, will give her keynote talk, where she will discuss her work with the Black Craftspeople Digital Archive.
11:30 a.m. History of Black Craftspeople in Tennessee Museum Gallery Tour
Museum guides will lead a 30-minute tour of the galleries highlighting Black craftspeople in Tennessee. Of special note is Ashley Seay’s award-winning “The Black Rose of Nashville.”
There will be a break for lunch at 12:00 Noon. Visitors are encouraged to walk to the Farmer’s Market for lunch. Remember parking is free in the area between the museum and the market, for the program and any visit to the museum.
1:00 p.m. Making a Home: William Edmondson’s Calling
Presented by Mark Schlicher, this lecture will speak to Nashville sculptor William Edmondson (1870-1951) and his legacy in Tennessee. Edmondson was known for his primitive animal and human figures that he created from limestone, and in 1937, became the first African American artist to have a solo exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
2:00 p.m. Where We Were and Where Will We Be: The Future of Craft Artists
This moderated discussion with current Black Craft artists in Tennessee focuses on their challenges and triumphs in contemporary craft. Carlton Wilkinson will moderate the panel, which will include Betty Turner, stained glass; Santana Matlock, concrete; Christina Roth, pottery; Ameena Henderson, pottery; and Michael Gatson, woodworker.
3:00 History of Black Craftspeople in Tennessee Gallery Tour
Museum guides will lead a 30-minute tour of the galleries highlighting Black craftspeople in Tennessee.
The mission of the Tennessee State Museum is to procure, preserve, exhibit, and interpret objects which relate to the social, political, economic, and cultural history of Tennessee and Tennesseans, and to provide exhibitions and programs for the educational and cultural enrichment of the citizens of the state.
