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McDonogh声音: Art Icons Discuss the Power of Memorials

McDonogh声音 guest speakers from left: Dr. 洛厄里·斯托克斯·西姆斯, Oletha迪瓦恩, and Dr. 莱斯利King-Hammond.

 

The third session of McDonogh声音 on Tuesday, March 22 focused on The Memorial to Those Enslaved and Freed and the power of art to unify voices, 讲更完整的故事, and bring people together to better understand the lives of those around us. The conversation featured artist Oletha迪瓦恩, the Retired Chair of McDonogh School’s Art Department, whose memorial to honor the enslaved peoples of John McDonogh will be dedicated in April. She was joined by art historians/consultants Dr. 莱斯利·金·哈蒙德博士. 洛厄里·斯托克斯·西姆斯. 查看录音 在这里.

Head of School Dave Farace ‘87 began the session by providing background on The Memorial to Those Enslaved and Freed noting that planning had been “in the works for nearly two decades.他解释道, “The journey began with the work of a passionate group of 教师 and staff who brought light to the importance of honoring the memory of enslaved people—men, 女性, and children—whose labor and sacrifice contributed to John McDonogh’s wealth—the very wealth that led to the founding of McDonogh School.” 

在介绍演讲者时, Director of Fine and Performing 艺术 Kara Zimmerman enumerated the ways in which art can help a community understand diverse perspectives by sparking conversation, 具有挑战性的规范, charging people to think critically and deeply, and providing an open platform for exploration and discovery, 反射, 和转换. 也许最重要的是, as in the case of The Memorial to Those Enslaved and Freed, is the way that art reveals truths and gives voice to those who have not always been heard,齐默尔曼说.

The McDonogh声音 conversation, moderated by Director of Innovation and Learning Kevin Costa, began with a discussion of the connective power of monuments and public art. Dr. 王哈蒙德, the Founding Director of the Center for Race and Culture at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and 当前的 Chair of the Board of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture, spoke about the historical significance and context of monuments in our world. 她的后继是博士. 西姆斯, a specialist in modern and contemporary art known for her expertise and commitment to diversity and inclusion in the art world. The engaging duo, who have been described by B更多的艺术 as “best friends since childhood and partners in professionalism” provided the foundation for DeVane’s description of the development and creation of The Memorial To Those Enslaved and Freed.

学生, 教师, and staff will gather on Tuesday, April 19 for a ceremony to dedicate The Memorial to Those Enslaved and Freed.

Understanding and learning from the School’s complex history is an important part of the ongoing institution-wide work to ensure McDonogh is a community w在这里 everyone has a true sense of belonging. In preparation for the dedication of McDonogh School’s Memorial to Those Enslaved and Freed, students in all three divisions are engaging in a series of thoughtfully-created lessons designed to give them a developmentally appropriate understanding of the memorial and history around it. 展望未来, the memorial will be used as a foundation for educating students more fully about this period in history.

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Oletha迪瓦恩 is an expert arts educator who served as McDonogh School’s 上学校 Visual Art Department Chair and Director of 塔特尔画廊 for 27 years. Her work has been shown in numerous solo and group exhibitions throughout the world and she has been commissioned to create original artwork by several institutions, 包括雷金纳德·F. Lewis Museum and the DC Homewood Museum at Johns Hopkins University. She has exhibited at The Meyerhoff Gallery at MICA, The Corcoran Gallery of Art in DC, 以及巴尔的摩艺术博物馆, which recently purchased one of her pieces to be placed in their permanent collection. DeVane’s community engagement includes serving on several boards, 包括马里兰艺术广场, 广角媒体, 以及建设海地基金会. She is the recipient of the 2017 Ruby Foundation Grant, the 2021 Anonymous Was a Woman Award, and the Art Matters Fellowship in NY in recognition of her work involving communities for social change. 

DeVane’s 当前的 projects include McDonogh School’s Memorial to Those Enslaved and Freed as well as a commission by the Municipal Art Society of Baltimore to create an outdoor sculpture for the newly renovated Lexington Market.