Deborah Roberts Exhibition Brochure

Deborah Roberts The Evolution of Mimi January 25 – May 19, 2018

#SpelMuse #BeYourOwnMuse #DeborahRoberts

Whitewashed 2017 Collage, mixed media on paper 30 x 22 inches Pizzuti Collection

Deborah Roberts The Evolution of Mimi January 25 – May 19, 2018 Deborah Roberts is an Austin-based artist who has investigated the myths associated with race and beauty throughout her career. Shortly after Roberts earned a BFA she began garnering attention for her paintings of Black subjects in idyllic settings. Although Roberts cultivated a meaningful following of Black collectors, was commercially successful, and was gratified by creating this work, she had a growing desire to reach broader audiences and exhibit her work on a larger platform. After a period of significant introspection she began forging relationships with artists and curators that worked in mainstream museums and entered a graduate program in 2011. These actions altered the course of her career.

While earning her MFA from Syracuse University where she was a prestigious Syracuse University Research Fellow in 2014, Roberts continued to grapple with socially relevant matters and also had the opportunity to experiment with new mediums. She honed her craft and laid the foundation for a unique voice that examines the weight that society places on Black girls and women.

Roberts has become widely recognized for her visually arresting collages that encourage important conversations about girlhood, vulnerability, body image, popular culture, self-image, and the dysfunctional legacy of colorism. She has earned critical acclaim for her collages combining found photographs, painting, and drawing and in 2016 was the recipient of the Pollock-Krasner Grant. In the last 18 months she has earned meteoric attention for her work, which has been featured in important solo and group exhibitions and the subject of reviews in the Village Voice and the New York Times.

Deborah Roberts: The Evolution of Mimi, a survey inspired in part by a series of works on paper she started in graduate school, positions Roberts’ early paintings and works on paper as a springboard to her more recent collages. Featuring more than 80 paintings and works on paper that Roberts completed between 2007 and 2017, this original exhibition explores how she designed the most recent decade.

Andrea Barnwell Brownlee, Ph.D., Director Spelman College Museum of Fine Art The Spelman College Museum of Fine Art acknowledges the generosity and enthusiastic support of Fort Gansevoort, New York and the Karen Jenkins Johnson Gallery, New York and San Francisco.

#SpelMuse #BeYourOwnMuse #DeborahRoberts

Grillz, Not on Me 2017 Mixed media on paper 22 x 14 inches Courtesy the artist

Programming All programs are free and open to the public, and, unless otherwise noted, take place in the Museum. For more information about exhibition-related programs see museum.spelman.edu.

OPENING RECEPTION AND ARTIST CONVERSATION Thursday, January 25, 2018 | 6:30 p.m.

Be among the first to view Deborah Roberts: The Evolution of Mimi and enjoy a conversation with Deborah Roberts and Andrea Barnwell Brownlee, Ph.D., Museum Director and exhibition curator.

YOGA IN THE MUSEUM Mondays, February 5 – May 14, 2018 | 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Enjoy a yoga class surrounded by works of art and engage in a practice that focuses on balance, focus, and strength. Yoga in the Museum is free, open to all, and appropriate for beginner and experienced yogis alike. Space, yoga mats, and props are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. For the complete list of classes and instructors see museum.spelman.edu. Join us on the first Monday of every month for a special complimentary aromatherapy session led by our community partner, iwi fresh farm-to-skin spa.

CURATING SOUL OF A NATION Monday, February 5, 2018 | 6:30 p.m.

Join Mark Godfrey, Ph.D. and Zoe Whitley, Ph.D., for a lecture about Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power, the internationally traveling exhibition organized by Tate Modern (London). A book signing follows.

BLOOM: A VISUAL UNFURLING OF LIGHT Saturdays, February 24, March 24, and April 21, 2018 12:00 p.m. – 4 :00 p.m.

Come and take your portrait for free and participate in a community portrait series inspired by the work of Deborah Roberts. BLOOM celebrates and affirms the range of beauty found within the African Diaspora. Facilitated by celebrated photographer Melissa Alexander, BLOOM is a timely reminder that beauty is inclusive, accessible to all, and can be found within. BLOOM is free and open to all, and portraits are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

#SpelMuse #BeYourOwnMuse #DeborahRoberts

TOSHI REAGON CELEBRATES OCTAVIA E. BUTLER Saturday, February 24, 2018 | 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby Ed.D. Academic Center Auditorium Versatile singer-songwriter-guitarist Toshi Reagon performs original work in honor of speculative fiction author Octavia E. Butler. This program is part of Uniting the Academy and the Community, the 2nd Biennial Octavia E. Butler Conference. To register email oebliterarysociety@gmail.com.

Uniting the Academy and the Community is supported by the Octavia E. Butler Literary Society, the Spelman College Office of the Provost, the Spelman College Division of Arts and the Geffen Artist-in-Residence Program, the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, the UNCF/Mellon Programs, and the Spelman College Ethel W. Githii Honors Program.

GALLERY WALK WITH DEBORAH ROBERTS Sunday, March 25, 2018 | 3:00 p.m.

Join Deborah Roberts and participate in an artist-led tour of Deborah Roberts: The Evolution of Mimi.

BLACK BOX: THE POSSIBILITIES Tuesday, April 3, 2018 | 6:30 p.m.

Albro Falconer Manley Science Center, NASA Auditorium As children we are often told that our futures are full of infinite possibilities, but as we get older, society’s rules and standards make many of us question those beliefs. Occasionally we need to be reminded of our childhood dreams. Indie documentary filmmaker, Will Feagins, Jr. will share and discuss excerpts from his latest project, The Possibility of Her, which addresses hanging on to, pursuing, and occasionally redefining what is possible. To learn more about BLACK BOX see museum.spelman.edu LET’S TALK ABOUT RACE: A CHILDREN’S PANEL DISCUSSION Sunday, April 15, 2018 | 3:00 p.m.

Participate in an intergenerational conversation about race and schools in Atlanta and explore how our schools can provide safe spaces for cultural difference and celebration.

COMMUNITY DAY Saturday, April 21, 2017 | 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Bring your friends, families, and loved ones to the Museum to look, move, and create together. Participate in guided gallery tours, art scavenger hunts, movement performances, and much more.

Community Day is free, but registration is required. RSVP by email to museum@spelman.edu or by phone at 404.270.5607.

YOGA, LITERATURE, AND ART CAMP FOR TEEN GIRLS INFO SESSION AND COMMUNITY YOGA CLASS Wednesday, May 9, 2018 | 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Join us for an evening of yoga and learn about the Yoga, Literature, and Art Camp for Teen Girls (YLA), a two-week summer camp presented in collaboration with Red Clay Yoga. The yoga class is open to all, and appropriate for beginner and experienced yogis alike. Space, yoga mats, and props are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information about YLA and how to register, email museum@spelman.edu with “YLA 2018” in the subject line.

BE YOUR OWN MUSE Be Your Own Muse is the Museum’s original podcast series, which highlights Black women cultural producers. Since launching in September 2016, the Museum has featured celebrated artists, arts advocates, and curators including Mickalene Thomas, Jalylah Burrell, Erika Dalya Massaquoi, Ph.D., and others. This season’s episodes feature conversations with Deborah Roberts and Zoe Whitley, Ph.D. Listen to Be Your Own Muse on SoundCloud and iTunes.

GUIDED TOURS The Spelman College Museum of Fine Art provides guided tours of its exhibitions free of charge. To schedule a tour, email museum@spelman.edu with “Guided Tour” in the subject line.

Please contact us at 404.270.5607, museum@spelman.edu, or @spelmanmuseum on Twitter with questions about any of the above programs and for more information.

Deborah Roberts: The Evolution of Mimi was made possible by

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MISSION To inspire and enrich the lives of the Spelman College community and the general public primarily through art by women of the African Diaspora.

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Front cover: The Righteous One, 2017, Mixed media on paper, 44 x 32 inches.

Collection of Sharon and John Hoffman (Kansas City)