Join the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center, Crisp-Ellert Art Museum, and the Saint Augustine Historical Society in the opening of their exhibit, “Magic, Mirth, and Mortality: Musings on Black Motherhood.”
The Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center (LMCC), St. Augustine Historical Society (SAHS), and Crisp-Ellert Art Museum (CEAM) are pleased to present a multi-institutional exhibition and panel series “Magic, Mirth, and Mortality: Musings on Black Motherhood” in April 2022. Both the exhibition and panel series are inspired by the lived experiences of writer, curator, wife, and mother Shawana Brooks, and celebrates the resilience of Black mothers through the lens of visual and literary art, and historical and archival objects.
Centered on Brooks during her pregnancy and the premature birth of her son Roosevelt, her “musings'' will be shown alongside artwork by Cheryl McCain, Marsha Hatcher, and Tatiana Kitchen. The visual and literary component will be supplemented with local and national statistics on infant and maternal mortality rates that demonstrate current inequities in healthcare access and draws attention to the institutional bias that Black women continue to face. Originally organized by Hope McMath at Yellow House in Jacksonville, “Magic, Mirth, and Mortality” was shut down due to the pandemic, and had only a limited public viewing in the Summer of 2020. With the original exhibition as a starting point, this iteration will be expanded to include material that reflects St. Augustine and St. Johns County’s unique history. Using their archival collections, each venue historically contextualizes some of the contemporary inequities Black women experience.
The exhibition component of “Magic, Mirth, and Mortality: Musings on Black Motherhood” will take place in two separate locations: the LMCC (102 M L King Avenue, St. Augustine, Fl ) and SAHS (14 St. Francis Street, St. Augustine, Fl). Both locations will open on Friday, April 1st from 5 to 9 PM in conjunction with First Friday Art Walk. Old Town Trolley will operate a trolley between the two venues for the duration of Art Walk.
Funding for this program was partially provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.
“Magic, Mirth, and Mortality: Musings on Black Motherhood” is supported in part by grants from The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida and the St. Johns Cultural Council.
Old Town Trolley has generously provided transportation for the opening night events.
Free Admission for the opening reception.
The LMCC has admission during regular museum hours, paid at the door. Admission costs are $10 for adults, $5 for ages (7-17) and students. The LMCC offers 10%discounts for seniors, military, or groups of 20+.
Phone: 9048241191
Email: lmccstaug@gmail.com
2022/04/01 - 2022/04/01
Additional time info:
The opening reception will have light refreshments. "Magic, Mirth, and Mortality: Musings on Black Motherhood" will be on exhibit in both locations from April 1st, 2022 to April 30th, 2022.
Related panels will take place at Flagler College throughout April. On Tuesday, April 12th, Dr. Martha Bireda, Scholar and Director of Blanchard House Museum of African History and Culture, will join Writer and Curator Shawana Brooks, and Dr. Lori Lee, Associate Professor of Archeology and Anthropology in a discussion that will focus on Black maternal health through a historical lens.
On Saturday, April 23rd, 2022 artists Shawana Brooks, Cheryl McCain, Marsha Hatcher, and Tatiana Kitchen will lead a panel discussion to discuss their work in relation to the exhibition, historical representations of Motherhood in art, and issues around the representation of BIPOC women artists within the fields of visual and literary art.
The exhibition will be made available virtually and our public programs will be live-streamed, and the recordings will also be made available online. Public programming at Flagler College will be located in an accessible building. Sign Language Interpreters will be available for all panel discussions. Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center is an accessible building. An interactive virtual exhibition will be available at the St. Augustine Historical Society venue for those with accessibility needs.
Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center
102 Martin Luther King Ave, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Parking is available for museum guests along either side the museum building, behind the building (Via Pomar St), and across from the building (grass lot).