Curated by Lauren Davidson and Jarvis DuBois
On View: November 1 through December 29, 2024
Click here to view past salon programs.
Featuring Millennium’s 25th Anniversary Prints by Artists Helen Frederick and Imar Lyman
The Millennium Arts Salon (MAS), in partnership with IA&A at Hillyer, proudly presents Collecting Community: Millennium Arts Salon at 25, a celebration of over two decades of creativity and cultural dialogue. This milestone exhibition features works from both emerging and established artists showcasing the Salon’s vibrant history, including Olivia Bruce, Tim Davis, Claudia “Aziza” Gibson-Hunter, Kristen Hayes Campbell, Helen Frederick, Imar Lyman, Blake Johnson, EJ Montgomery, Rashad Ali Muhammad, Michael Platt, Maria-Lana Queen, Cynthia Rivarde, Preston Sampson, Roslyn Cambridge, and Omari Jesse.
Curated by Lauren Davidson and Jarvis DuBois, the exhibition explores themes of innovation, resilience, and connection through a rich array of styles and mediums such as painting, sculpture, and mixed media. Visitors will also find historic items, including photographs, letters, and promotional materials from past programs, illustrating the evolution of the organization over 25 years.
Special programming, including artist talks and discussions with founders, will offer insights into the creative processes behind the works. Join us in celebrating the lasting impact of the Millennium Arts Salon on the Washington, D.C. art community and beyond.
Curatorial Statement
As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of Millennium Arts Salon, we honor a vibrant community that champions creativity, diversity, and dialogue. Collecting Community: Millennium Arts Salon at 25 reflects the organization’s journey through contemporary art, showcasing the innovative spirit that defines its mission.
Over the past 25 years, Millennium Arts Salon has been a vital platform for both emerging and established artists, fostering belonging and exploration while raising the visibility of local Washington, D.C. talent. This anniversary exhibition features curated works that embody collaboration, cultural exchange, and varied voices.
Each piece tells a unique story of personal expression and artistic evolution. From Aziza Gibson-Hunter’s colorful abstract sculptures exploring time and memory to Rashad Muhammad’s bold collages reflecting self-discovery, the works invite engagement and connection.
About the Curators
Jarvis DuBois
Jarvis, currently at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History since 2002 as a Museum Specialist, has over 22 years of art experience. He is working on his M.A. in Art History at the City College of New York, NYC.
Jarvis has curated several exhibitions including: Black Abstraction at the Harmony Hall gallery (2011); (in)Visible and (dis)Embodied: Repositioning the Marginalized within the Curatorial Initiative program at the District of Columbia Arts Center (2014) and co-curated Looking Back/Looking Forward: 15 Years of Millennium Arts Salon with Sharon Burton and Janelle Blackmon Pryor at the Brentwood Arts Exchange (2015). Most recently he co-curated with Lauren P. Davidson, The Ties That Bind and Zero Dollar Bill: The Prints of Imar Lyman at the IA&A at the Hillyer (2022) and UNTANGLED: Combing through the Roots of Black Hair (2023), presented by Johnny Wright and co-curated with Gia Harewood.
Lauren P. Davidson
Dr. Lauren Davidson is an independent art curator and the founder of Museum Nectar Art Consultancy, which focuses on contemporary African American art while supporting emerging and mid-career artists. Her curatorial work fosters conversations about the Black experience through contemporary art. Notable exhibitions she has curated include Chosen Family at Brentwood Arts Exchange (2024) and The Ties That Bind and Zero Dollar Bill: The Prints of Imar Lyman at IA&A at Hillyer (2022), alongside co-curator Jarvis DuBois. Her recent exhibition, Solace and Sisterhood, featuring the works of Evita Tezeno, Amber Robles-Gordon, and Lavett Ballard, is set to travel to The David C. Driskell Center at the University of Maryland in 2025.
Lauren is a multi-hyphenate academic, holding a B.S. from Cornell University and a Master’s Degree in Museum Studies from Johns Hopkins University. She actively engages with local DC arts organizations and serves as a docent at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.