Black Stories Des Moines Art Center Black Stories, an exhibition and project on view at the Des Moines Art Center through January 17, presents the artwork by Black artists in the Art Center’s permanent collections, and aims to connect and partner with the community in the process. Two artists, Mitchell Squire and Jordan Weber, co-curated the exhibition component of the project. A group of Black community leaders formed an advisory committee to direct the Art Center’s work. This collaborative effort marks a fundamental change in how the Art Center operates, moving the museum toward a more inclusive future. In addition to the exhibition, the Art Center’s Black Stories project invites audience members to share their personal stories and experiences in response to the artworks in the show. These stories will be included in a book that the Art Center will publish after the show closes to document the project and the people who made it happen. The following is a story submitted by E.J. Frye, who visited the exhibition in October: I brought my 15 year old daughter to see Black Stories. Her favorite piece was “the mother and 2 daughters” (Deana Lawson). She remembered it from a previous visit. My mother used to bring me to openings and exhibitions when I was growing up. I wasn’t always nice about it. My daughter was very pleasant once we arrived at the museum. I opened a magazine while we were eating dinner after leaving Black Stories and there was an article about Julie Mehretu. The URBAN EXPERIENCE | 2020 17
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