Hammonds House Museum, Atlanta’s art institution dedicated to the African diaspora and African American Art, has announced the appointment of Halima Taha as Artistic Chair for the next three seasons.
Taha will be responsible for oversight of the artistic scope of exhibitions and will contribute to strategic planning of the institution’s growth. She will bring her experience as an esteemed arts professional, curator, and author to enhance the museum’s visioning in conjunction with the museum’s board.
Taha’s groundbreaking book, “Collecting African American Art; Works on Paper and Canvas,” features almost two hundred works by a wide range of artists alongside advice on framing, insurance, taxes, estate planning, and even tips on how to care for your own collection of works.
In her new role at Hammonds House Museum, Taha will lean on her deep understanding for and appreciation of African American art to encourage connection, accessibility, and fresh perspectives on identity, colonial legacies, globalism, community, and transnationalism.
“I am honored to join Hammonds House Museum and set the next chapter of its artistic direction,” said Halima Taha in a statement. “I am excited to collaborate with the museum’s passionate team and dedicated Board and stakeholders to further the institution’s mission of celebrating and promoting African diaspora and African American art while challenging the traditional elitism in the art world.”
The first exhibition season under Taha’s leadership will include a showcase of textile artist Precious Lovell’s “The Fabric Of Our Lives: Ex-Domestication” and “The Ties That Bind.” Lovell’s works focus on the experiences of Black American women and their interconnected relationships in American society.
Lovell’s exhibition will showcase 15 African modesty aprons which will serve as an exploration of storytelling inherent in fabric and clothing. She also challenges traditional ideas of “women’s work” through craft traditions of needlepoint, quilting, weaving, and sewing.
These exhibitions will challenge the viewers to consider their experiences of Black American women through the lens of history, identity, and community.
“We are thrilled to welcome Halima Taha to Hammonds House Museum,” said Imara Canady, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “This appointment marks the next phase in the museum’s multi-year capacity building plan which was originally slated to begin in 2020 but couldn’t be implemented until 2022 due to the Covid pandemic.
“Ms. Taha’s experience and vision will lead the museum down exciting new pathways artistically. We look forward to the impactful exhibitions and public programs she will bring to our community as well as adding her strategic expertise to our existing team as we move into the future, building upon our 35 year legacy.”
“The Fabric Of Our Lives: Ex-Domestication” and “The Ties That Bind” will debut at the Hammonds House Museum on Fri., Jan. 26 and will remain on view through Apr. 14.
