Museum speaker series offers diverse perspectives

This fall, the Newcomb Art Museum will host a diverse lineup of speakers including civic leaders, scholars and artists to open a dialogue about the misrepresentation of certain communities.

Programming kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 6, with a welcome-back reception at 6:30 p.m. featuring live music, refreshments and an artist talk by Brandan “Bmike” Odums, whose piece “Alchemist” is on view in the current EMPIRE exhibit.  

Additional speakers in September include: Tulane professor Mohan Ambikaipaker, who will explore the racial politics of tricentennial celebrations of New Orleans; Monique Verdin, a member of south Louisiana’s United Houma Nation Tribal Council, who will discuss displacement and the colonial founding of New Orleans; and Dr. James Louie, who will discuss the intersection of art history and medicine.

“This is our attempt to balance the representation of contributions of all people to the history of New Orleans on its tricentennial.”

Monica Ramirez-Montagut, museum director

“This is our attempt to balance the representation of contributions of all people to the history of New Orleans on its tricentennial,” said museum director Monica Ramirez-Montagut. “This semester's tremendous roster of diverse speakers will provide us with a more truthful and real perspective of the history and current reality of New Orleans on its 300th anniversary.”

On Oct. 1, the museum will host an artist talk with Nicole Awai, whose recent op-ed in The New York Times highlighted creative ways to address the spaces where former Confederate monuments stood. Tulane archivist Chloe Raub and special collections managers Lee Miller and Justin Mann will round out the series with talks during the months of October, November and December.

All programs are free and open to the public; learn more at newcombartmuseum.tulane.edu.