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Jen White-Johnson — Anthology of Blackness: The State of Black Design
May 1, 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Location: Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery
Jen White-Johnson ’08, visual arts, will discuss her work and experiences as a Black professional in design and discuss her contributions to the recently published Anthology of Blackness: The State of Black Design. After her talk, White-Johnson will sign books for the audience.
Jen White-Johnson (she/they) is a distinguished Afro-Latina artist, activist, designer, and educator, whose creative expressions delve into the intersection of content and caregiving. With a profound focus on reshaping ableist visual culture, Jen, an artist-educator grappling with Graves disease and ADHD, brings a heart-centered and electric approach to disability advocacy.
Her invaluable contributions to these movements manifest through powerful and dynamic art and media that simultaneously educate, bridge divergent worlds, and envision a future reflective of her Autistic son’s experiences. White-Johnson’s activism extends to collaborations with notable brands and art spaces, including Coachella, Target, and Adobe, both in print and digital realms.
Her photography and design work have gained recognition in esteemed publications such as Art in America, Juxtapoz Magazine, AfroPunk, and she has contributed insightful essays to publications like “After Universal Design: The Disability Design Revolution” and “An Anthology of Blackness.” Notably, White-Johnson’s work is permanently archived at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National African American Museum of History and Culture in DC.
White-Johnson holds a B.A. in Visual Art from UMBC and an M.F.A. in Graphic Design from the Maryland Institute College of Art, where she also imparts her knowledge as an instructor.
Admission is free.
This event is sponsored by the Department of Visual Arts and is made possible with the generous support of the Office of the Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS).
Attendees who need any specific accommodations should contact the Department of Visual Arts at 410-455-2150 as soon as possible.
