SHINIQUE SMITH: FIRSTHAND

Through July 19th, 2013, LACMA presents Shinique Smith: Firsthand at the Charles White Elementary School in downtown Los Angeles. In this installation, 紐約–based Smith reflects on her gritty Baltimore upbringing and early exposure to the sophisticated world of fashion design. Smith visited LACMA and worked directly with students to uncover sources of inspiration in their own lives. The exhibition juxtaposes objects Smith selected from the museum’s Costume and Textiles collection, new work based on her experience within the school and community, and student art.

Smith received her MFA from Maryland Institute College of Art. Her work has been exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum, P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, and the Studio Museum in Harlem and is in the collections of LACMA, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Denver Art Museum, among other institutions. Charles White Elementary School opened in 2004 on the former campus of Otis College of Art and Design. The school is named for local artist Charles White (1918–1979), who taught at Otis for many years. LACMA has been programming exhibitions at the school since 2007.

Video production: Alexa Oona Schulz