Visiting The Bahamas from the U.S is Stephanie Smith, the recently-appointed Chief Curator at the brand new Institute of Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University, which will open in October 2017.
Proceeding from Associate Curator to Deputy Director of the SMART Museum in Chicago after a tenure of 15-years, Stephanie then left to head the curatorial department at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) in Toronto for two years and now returns to the U.S. at what she feels is a crucial time.
On “Blank Canvas” she shares her career trajectory and her particular focus on art practices that engage with the community and social activism. While many are threatening to leave the U.S. for Canada due to recent political changes, Stephanie speaks to how she feels that now is precisely the time to return and engage even more deeply. She also speaks towards the actions of her colleagues who are now radically rethinking their programming at the new University Institution to reflect the current concerns being debated in American society, particular dynamics of race and power.
