Hammonds House Museum, a leading institution dedicated to African diaspora and African American art, proudly announces the appointment of Halima Taha as Artistic Chair for the next three seasons. Taha, an esteemed arts professional, curator, and author of the groundbreaking book Collecting African American Art; Works on Paper and Canvas, brings a wealth of expertise in strategic planning, curation, artist and gallery management to her new role at the museum.

In her capacity as Artistic Chair, Taha will oversee the artistic scope of the museum’s exhibitions, contributing to strategic planning for the institution’s growth in conjunction with its dedicated Board. Her vision is to elevate and expand the intellectual diversity behind the visual statements artists make and to promote African descendent visual culture as a global interconnected thread for cultural diversity.

Taha’s profound and soul-stirring reverence for the intricate beauty inherent in both nature and humanity, combined with an insatiable curiosity, encapsulates the essence of the saying “Nature laughs in Flowers.” She finds both delight and purpose in the ongoing pursuit of self-discovery and the exploration of our ever-evolving world through art. Embracing the philosophy “Art is for and by the people” from mentor and friend Elizabeth Catlett (1915-2012), Taha draws inspiration from Catlett’s influential legacy in her approach to art and its role in society.

Taha’s benchmark in her career is to stand apart from the traditional elitism inherent in the art world, asserting that artists make art for strangers and often the gatekeepers and decision-makers choose a select milieu to have access, which is a significant problem she aims to address. She believes that art provides a gateway for soft diplomacy and brings disparate audiences together who might not normally interact. She is committed to ensuring that the ideas presented by artists are not…