Black Lives Matter Artist Grant winners announced

On Thursday, the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at Washington State University announced the recipients of the Black Lives Matter Artist Grants.

Each of the 20 winners will receive $2,500 to “fund the creation of art that communicates the voices, experiences and artistic expression of social justice efforts in response to systemic racism,” per a news release. Works from each artist will be exhibited in the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art beginning in fall 2021.

The winning artists are Aisha Harrison, Lisa Myers Bulmash, Hasaan Kirkland, Rene Westbrook, Troy Riley Miles, Jasmine Iona Brown, Robert J. Lloyd, Grace June, Zinda K. Foster, Whitney Evans, Jennifer Kuhns, Cynthia Camlin, Myron Curry, Jackie Schaubel, Derek E. Johnson, Maya Milton, Bonnie Hopper, Tracy Poindexter-Canton, Damon Brown and Felicia Follum.

“The museum is considerably impressed with the grant winners’ collective artwork and looks forward to exhibiting their talents in the fall of 2021,” Ryan Hardesty, interim director of the museum and a member of the selection jury, said in the release. “We’re confident the exhibition of these artists’ works will raise awareness of the Black Lives Matter movement and feel grateful to have been part of this process.”

The museum worked with the WSU Black Student Union, the department of fine arts, the school of languages, cultures and race and the honors college to determine the winners. More than 70 artists from across Washington applied.

“We would like to thank all the applicants for their commitment to racial justice and encourage them to continue their valued work,” Hardesty said. “Of the 20 artists selected, the jury gave considerable forethought to insure the awardees exemplify the strongest connection to the Black Lives Matter movement and to confronting systemic racism.

“It was important to the jury that a wide and innovative selection of artistic practices be represented from installation and sculpture to film and painting.”