Artist Bio
Brianna Harlan is a multiform artist and organizer. She works in community intervention and re-contextualized objects to innovate on how sociopolitical identity affects health, selfhood, and community. Her debut solo exhibition was a non commercial showing in New York at Field Projects Gallery. She opened her solo exhibition “Glass House” at Oklahoma State University in January 2022 and “A Collection” at Eastern Kentucky University in February 2022. She has been the artist in residence or fellowship at The Laundromat Project, SECAC, Oxbow, Materia Abierta, and the DreamYard Project. In 2020 she collaborated with 21c museum hotels, 4th wall, and Breonna Taylor’s family to create an augmented reality memorial monument. Brianna has been published in several forms as a voice in cultural activism nationally and internationally, including in ArtNews for her equity in art report. She completed her MFA in Art and Social Action at Queens College and was named a Young Distinguished Alumni by her alma mater, Hanover College. Brianna also works as a creative, community organizer and strategist for several community initiatives around the country including City University of New York’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Incubator and the Studio Museum in Harlem and MoMA’s public programs fellowship.
Artist Statement
My work is a perfectly broken flower pot in the middle of the street, causing a slow down and close look at what is sublime and what is fractured. I create community intervention and re-contextualized objects to inquire on how sociopolitical identity affects health, selfhood, and community. Two things I am interested in are the roots and effects of interpersonal disconnection on the human condition and how our coping habits both serve and trap us. My current main mediums are community-based art, installation, public intervention, works on paper, and photography. I explore narrative through everyday objects, using interactive elements to activate the static and familiar. To me, artworks are a constructive tool for conversation, record, and world-building. My influences include Sonya Clark, Otobong Nkanga, Frida Kahlo, Michael Rakowitz, Octavia Butler, and the moon.
Artist Resume
Solo Exhibitions
2022 Glass House, Gardiner Art Gallery, Oklahoma State University
2021 Visiting Hours, Queens College MFA Thesis Show, New York City, NY
2020 Black Love Blooms: New York Nook, Field Projects Gallery, New York City, NY
2017 The Divided States of Americans, Iroquois Public Library, Louisville, KY
Exhibitions
2024 Our Votes, Our Stories Exhibition, SUNY Oneonta, NY
2023 Our Votes, Our Stories Exhibition at The SAGG at Golden Artist Colors, The Sam and Adele Golden Gallery, New Berlin, NY
2021 From the West End to the West Bank, Cressman Center For Visual Art, Louisville, KY
2021 On Location: Artists Explore a Sense of Place, Peninsula School of Art, Door County, WI
2021 Seasonal Repression, Field Projects Gallery, New York City, NY
2020 Silk Flowers, UCONN Contemporary Art Galleries, Storrs, CT
2020 Ballot Box, 21c Museum Hotels, Louisville Metro Hall, Louisville, KY
2020 Virtual Topologies: Queens College MFA, Field Projects Gallery, New York City, NY
2020 Idea Festival, Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center, Bowling Green, KY
2020 Revolutionary: Being American Today, Kennedy Heights Art Center, Cincinnati, OH
2019 My Kentucky State of Mind, Giles Gallery, Eastern Kentucky University
2019 Mental Misconceptions, Schneider Hall at University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
2018 Provocative Perspectives, 1619 Flux, Louisville, KY
2018 Visions of Power...Exploring Personal and Collective Change, 1619 Flux, Louisville, KY
2018 15, KMAC Contemporary Art Museum, Louisville, KY
2018 Young Visionaries of 2018, Little Loom House, Louisville, KY
2017 Allow Yourself Shameless Shine, Alley Gallery, Muhammad Ali Center, Louisville, KY
2015 Senior Thesis Exhibition, Greiner Art Gallery, Hanover College, Hanover, IN
Public Art
2021 Louisvillians’ Imagination Mural, Private Commission, Louisville, KY
2020 SHE ASCENDS: Breonna Taylor Square Monument, Partners: 21c Museum Hotels,
Nancy Baker Cahill (4th Wall App), Louisville, KY
2020 Black Love Blooms: Juneteenth, New York City, NY; Houston, TX; Denver, CO; Jackson, MS;
Louisville, KY; Los Angeles, CA; Dallas, TX
2020 Castleman Statue Cleansing Ritual, Louisville, KY
2019 – 2020 Black Love Blooms, NYC; Louisville, KY; Denver, CO; Los Angele, CA; Jackson, MS
2018 – 2020 The Divided States of Americans, Metro Hall, Louisville, KY
2019 Introducing Ruth Ellis Brown, BlackGirlTelephone.com
2019 Parkland Love: A Neighborhood History, Booklets and Banners, Louisville, KY
2019 Thread House:
IdeaFestival Bowling Green, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY
Warren County Public Library Summer Kickoff, Bowling Green, KY
2018 Smoketown Heroes + Sheroes, IDEASxLab w/ Meyzeek Middle School, Louisville, KY
2018 Oasis, 32nd Festival of Faiths, Kentucky Center for the Arts, Louisville, KY
Residencies/Fellowships
2022- 2024 Studio Museum in Harlem and MoMA Public Programs Fellow
2020 Legacy Teaching Fellow, DreamYard, Bronx, NY
2020 Makers Circle: Nature & Body Photography, Marshall, NC
2019 Materia Abierta: Novo Pan Klub, Curated by Natalia Zuluaga, Mexico City, MX
2018 Ox-Bow Artist Residency, Saugatuck, Michigan
2018 Heros+Sheros Project, Meyzeek Middle School, IDEASxLab, Louisville, KY
2017 – 2018 Hadley Creatives Fellowship, Community Foundation of Louisville
2017 SafeSpace Studio, Kentucky Center for the Arts, KMAC Museum, Louisville, KY
Grants/Awards
2021 City Artists Corps Grant, NY Foundation for the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs
2019 Producing Art In Neighborhoods Together, Center For Neighborhoods, Louisville KY
2018 Firestarter Award, Kentucky Foundation for Women for Art + Activism, Louisville, KY
2018 Mayoral Proclamation for Art, Louisville, KY
2018 Great Meadows Foundation Grant, Louisville, KY
2017 Arts + Activism Grant, Kentucky Foundation for Women for Art + Activism
Experience
2021 Springerin, Writer: Grief and Grievance: Art and Mourning in America, New Museum
2021 Artnews, Art in America, Writer: CONFRONTING ERASURE: “PROMISE, WITNESS, REMEMBRANCE” AT THE SPEED ART MUSEUM
2021 Guest Editor: TAUNT Magazine, Cultivate Issue, Louisville, KY
2021 Exhibition Program Artist, Call & Response activity cards, Art as Social Action Exhibition
2021 Panelist, Future Facing: Democracy beyond January 1st, Centre for Social Innovation, Artists’ Literacies Institute
2021 Ruckus Journal, Board of Directors
2020 Panelist, Queens College Psychology of Activism Course, New York, NY
2020 Lead Researcher: People’s Art Report, a study on equity, Louisville, KY
2020 Featured Artist, Wide Awakes Day, 21c Museum + Hotels, Louisville, KY
2020 Fighting for the Future: Political Engagement & Student Leaders, Queens College, NY
2020 Teaching Artist: Community Care, DreamYard, Bronx, NY
2020 Creative Mornings, Louisville: Underdog Featured Speaker
2020 Teaching Artist: Arts + Activism, DreamYard, Bronx, NY
2019 Arts Outreach and Programming, Speed Art Museum
2019 Speaker, IdeaFestival Bowling Green, Western Kentucky University
2019 Speaker, Re-actions: Art, Advocacy, and Community, 21C Museum and ACLU KY
2018 Juror, CFL Hadley Creatives Fellowship
2018 Speaker/Featured Artist, Festival of Faiths, Kentucky Center for the Arts, Louisville, KY
2018 Panelist, Politics + Art: For Freedoms, Cressman Visual Arts Center, Louisville, KY
2017 Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Imagine Greater Louisville 2020 Plan, Louisville, KY
2017 Co-Curator, Crafted Conversations, Louisville Library, Kentucky Center for the Arts
2016-2017 Curator, New Beginnings, Louisville Grows Healthy House, Louisville, KY
Education
2021 MFA, Social Practice Queens, Queens College, CUNY
Public Intervention Art, Claire Bishop and Paul Ramirez
History and Theory of Social Practice Art, Greg Sholette
Artistic Process and Contemporary Community: Interactive Media Programming II, Alexandra Juhasz & Jennifer McCoy
New Forms, Debra Priestly
Arts Writing & Research, Chloe Bass
Independent Study: Glenn Goldberg, Kurt Kauper, Tyrone Mitchell, Chloe Bass, Debra Priestly
Other
2021 Undoing Racial Bias, People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond
2019 Infographics and Equity, Jessica Bellamy, Adobe Fellow
2017 – 2018 Creative Capital, Artist Development Program
2017 – 2018 NeighborWorks America, Community Engagement
2016 – 2017 AmeriCorps VISTA, Community Capacity Building
2015 Bachelor of Arts: Studio Art, Hanover College, Hanover, IN
2021 Distinguished Young Alumni Award, Hanover College, Hanover, IN
News Links
2021 Featured artist, Art Uncovered Podcast https://www.btrtoday.com/listen/artuncovered/brianna-harlan/
2021 Featured artist, 21c Museum + Hotels Artist Check-in https://www.21cmuseumhotels.com/blog/2021/brianna-harlan-artist-check-in/
2020 89.3 WFPL, NPR: Five Artists Take On Voting Rights, Voter Suppression In Art Show At 21c https://wfpl.org/five-artists-take-on-voting-rights-voter-suppression-in-art-show-at-21c/
2020 WFPL News/ARTnews: This Artist Has Embarked On A Crusade To Make Louisville’s Arts Industry More Equitable https://wfpl.org/this-artist-has-embarked-on-a-crusade-to-make-louisvilles-arts-industry-more-equitable/
2020 Frieze: “She Ascends” mention, Frieze https://www.frieze.com/article/nancy-baker-cahills-ghostly-monuments
2020 WHAS11 News: 'Black Love Blooms' uses flowers, love notes to remind Black people their lives have always mattered https://www.whas11.com/article/news/local/black-love-blooms-uses-flowers-and-love-notes-to-remind-black-people-their-lives-have-always-mattered/417-dcc62207-9baa-4253-98be-3b82ddcdafa4
2020 Courier Journal: 'It's about time': Will Louisville's art scene become more equitable for Black artists? https://www.courier-journal.com/story/entertainment/arts/visual/2020/07/29/louisville-arts-art-scene-more-equitable-black-artists/5477977002/
2020 Courier Journal/U.S. News and World Report: 'The spirit of democracy.' BallotBox explores past, present and future of American voting https://www.courier-journal.com/story/entertainment/arts/visual/2020/03/11/ballotbox-exhibit-louisville-metro-hall-explores-voting-rights/4943609002/
2020 ÆQAI: Refusals & Offerings: Revolutionary Identity at the Kennedy Heights Art Center https://aeqai.com/main/2020/02/refusals-and-offerings-revolutionary-identity-at-the-kennedy-heights-art-center/
2019 WAVE3 News: Living Green Wall helping create a healthier Park DuValle community https://www.wave3.com/2019/07/27/living-green-wall-helping-create-healthier-park-duvalle-community/
2019 Courier Journal: Stretched Thin for Therapy Support, Art Featured
2018 Insider Louisville: “Louisville artist Brianna Harlan creates through the lens of ‘radical vulnerability’”