Milwaukee Art Museum Hosts Block Party Inspired by Baltimore Native Derrick Adams, TODAY
MAM’s block party is May 21, 2022. (Picture by Milwaukee Art Museum)
Black life and leisure is something traditional media doesn’t show often, which is why Baltimore native and Brooklyn-based artist Derrick Adams art “examines the role of the media in shaping identity.” Adams was commissioned by Milwaukee Art Museum (MAM) to make an exhibition for their “On Site” series that started in 2001.
Adams’ exhibit, “Derrick Adams: Our Time Together” features a multimedia wall mural and sculptural installation the artist made specifically for the Museum’s East End. The mural is inspired by Victor Hugo Green’s “The Negro Motorist Green Book”, and it includes references to Milwaukee staples like Gee’s Clippers, Coffee Makes You Black, and the Wisconsin Black Historical Society, as well as photographs from the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.
To match the vibes and goal of Adams’ exhibit, MAM Curator of Community Dialog Kantara Souffrant suggested the museum host a block party geared towards the Black community because a big part of our leisure is gathering, music and food.
“I couldn’t imagine not doing a block party when I heard of the themes in the show,” said Souffrant.
MAM’s block party is being held today, May 21, 2022 from 11 a.m. CST to 2 p.m. CST at 700 N Museum Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53202.
Yoga is one of MAM’s block party activities. (Picture by Milwaukee Art Museum)
According to Souffrant, this event is to let the Black community know that MAM is a space for them and that they should come as they are because a lot of our community don’t always feel welcomed.
“To focus on Black leisure and gathering…for me, those are the opportunities where we get to see ourselves and connect with one another,” she said.
The Block party will feature multiple activities, including a spades tournament, line dancing, face painting, museum tours, and more.
There will also be Black-owned food trucks depending on the weather.