New Visions for African Art at the Baltimore Museum of Art

FAIN: GE-50404-11

Baltimore Museum of Art (Baltimore, MD 21218-3898)
Nichole Bridges (Project Director: August 2010 to February 2012)
Jay McKean Fisher (Project Director: February 2012 to November 2012)

Planning for a reinstallation of the museum's permanent collection of African art with a thematic and cross-cultural approach.

The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) requests $40,000 to support the planning of a major reinstallation of its African art collection. During the 12-month planning period, the BMA will develop a comprehensive plan for the new African art installation and related interpretation. This planning process will move the BMA closer to realizing its vision of building a dynamic artistic program around the strengths of its collection. Updated scholarship, fresh curatorial practice and educational perspectives, thoughtful design, and innovative uses of technology will refocus and enliven the presentation, increasing its appeal to the broad public audience served by the BMA. The new installation will use a thematic and cross-cultural approach rather than the simple geographical one employed in the existing gallery. The new installation will encourage visitors to engage with African arts and their multifaceted sources, meanings, and uses.