Mississippi Museum of Art’s Center for Art and Public Exchange (CAPE) today announced Shani Peters (b.1981) as its 2021 national artist-in-residence. Starting in early spring 2021, Peters—a multidisciplinary artist and educator based in Harlem—will embark on a multi-part project, Collective Care for Black Mothers and Caretakers.
Incorporating aspects of her multi-faceted community-based practice, Peters’ public, project-based, collaborative work considers painful truths and creates opportunities for collective momentum toward learning, wisdom sharing, and community exchange. Her process is informed by her lived experience and in-depth research as she examines the politics of shared society to reveal individual and community approaches to managing the weights on and demands of Black mothers and caretakers.
During her yearlong residency, Peters will build relationships with the local Jackson community and establish a platform of self-care and community care. As a collaborative endeavor, the goal is to demonstrate the essential importance of caring for each other. To start, Peters reviewed data from the Pew Research Center and other sources. Her research revealed that the Black population in the U.S. ranks among the lowest across indicators of well-being including health, wealth, and numerous other categories. Mississippi’s Black population consistently ranks among the most vulnerable and underserved in the nation. COVID-19, the resultant economic crisis, and the Black Lives Matter movement have further exposed these disparities to the country and the world.
About the Mississippi Museum of Art
Established in 1911, the Mississippi Museum of Art is dedicated to connecting Mississippi to the world and the power of art to the power of community. The Museum’s permanent collection includes paintings, photography, multimedia works, and sculpture by Mississippi, American, and international artists. The largest art museum in the state, the Mississippi Museum of Art offers a vibrant roster of exhibitions, public programs, artistic and community partnerships, educational initiatives, and opportunities for exchange year-round. Programming is developed inclusively with community involvement to ensure a diversity of voices and perspectives are represented. Located at 380 South Lamar Street in downtown Jackson, the Museum is committed to honesty, equity, and inclusion. The Mississippi Museum of Art and its programs are sponsored in part by the City of Jackson and Visit Jackson. Support is also provided in part by funding from the Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency, and in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
Website: msmuseumart.org
