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Live Q&A: Protecting Your Storytelling Power: Strategies For Black Artists
Amani Olu
Founder and Principal, Olu & Company
May 8, 2023 | 5 - 6pm EST
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Join Amani Olu, the founder of Olu & Company for this live Q&A on Protecting Your Storytelling Power: Strategies For Black Artists.
More than ever, contemporary art galleries, museums, and other cultural venues are rushing to associate themselves with the work of Black artists. While taking a step in the right direction, these institutions—primarily led by white individuals—do not always have the patience, language, and lived experience to contextualize the work as intended. As a result, many Black artists find that the people representing them often misrepresent or silence their ideas to move a sale forward, placate leadership, or make the viewing experience comfortable for white audiences.
In his video on CreativeStudy, Amani Olu introduces initial steps for Black artists to safeguard their stories, beginning with identifying core values.
While Amani is directly addressing Black artists with advice gained from his lived experience, BIPOC creatives will likely find the videos helpful. White administrators are also encouraged to join to evaluate and update language and editorial processes they currently use, to accurately facilitate and reflect the stories of the artists they serve.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
More than ever, contemporary art galleries, museums, and other cultural venues are rushing to associate themselves with the work of Black artists. While taking a step in the right direction, these institutions—primarily led by white individuals—do not always have the patience, language, and lived experience to contextualize the work as intended. As a result, many Black artists find that the people representing them often misrepresent or silence their ideas to move a sale forward, placate leadership, or make the viewing experience comfortable for white audiences.
In his video on CreativeStudy, Amani Olu introduces initial steps for Black artists to safeguard their stories, beginning with identifying core values.
While Amani is directly addressing Black artists with advice gained from his lived experience, BIPOC creatives will likely find the videos helpful. White administrators are also encouraged to join to evaluate and update language and editorial processes they currently use, to accurately facilitate and reflect the stories of the artists they serve.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Dubbed the “King of multi-tasking” by Anthony Haden-Guest in The Art Newspaper, Amani Olu is a serial entrepreneur with a strong background in exhibition making and art writing. He is the co-founder of Humble Arts Foundation, a 501c3 that began to support and promote new art photography in 2005. From 2008 to 2012, he curated numerous exhibitions of contemporary photography, and spearheaded the four-part series Young Curators, New Ideas. In 2011 he joined Nadine Johnson & Associates as an art publicist for clients such as the Brant Foundation Art Study Center, Marlborough Chelsea, and the Dallas Art Fair. Eighteen months later, he was named managing editor of Whitewall, having previously contributed articles on artists William Eggleston, Zoe Crosher, Elad Lassry, and Rashaad Newsome. He left to establish Olu & Company, a marketing and business consultancy for individuals, businesses and organizations in the arts. Amani makes art under the name "Scott Avery,” and is currently developing IMG SRVR, a visual cloud storage service for creative industries.