Brown-David’s work is on view in the 2023 Mississippi Invitational from June 10—September 17, 2023
Jackson, MS…The Mississippi Museum of Art (the Museum/MMA) today announced the 2023 recipient of The Jane Crater Hiatt Artist Fellowship. The grant of $20,000 has been awarded to Adrienne Brown-David of Water Valley, whose artwork is featured in the 2023 Mississippi Invitational exhibition on view from June 10 through September 17, 2023. The achievement was recognized in a special reception honoring all the Invitational artists on Thursday, June 8.
Administered through MMA, The Jane Crater Hiatt Artist Fellowship provides a unique study-and-travel scholarship to support an individual artist in the development and creation of art over a period of two years. Artists whose work is selected to be included in the 2023 Mississippi Invitational exhibition are eligible to apply for the grant in the year that their work is chosen. Brown-David is one of 15 artists chosen by guest curator Katie Pfohl, for inclusion in this year’s presentation.
The fellowship recipient is determined by a panel of jurors. The chosen artist is required to donate one original work of art, created during the grant period, to the Museum’s permanent collection. When applying for the grant, artists must demonstrate how the award could influence the development and direction of their work. Artists may use the fund for the following: to study with an individual artist or in a studio, a workshop, or residency setting; to pursue projects which further artistic development and support the realization of specific creative ideas; to purchase supplies and equipment; to conduct research; and to travel.
In her artist statement, Brown-David said, “My current body of work is a conversation about the identity of Black girls and women in the American South, where race is a constant and pervasive thread woven into the daily fabric of life. I would love to broaden the conversation to include people for whom that thread does not exist…where the concept of Blackness does not exist in the daily lives of its citizens.”
Brown-David will use her award to travel to Nigeria, Senegal, and Liberia to broaden her perspective. She will spend time interviewing, photographing, and painting the women/girls she meets with during her trip and explore the connection between West Africa and the American South.
According to Jane Hiatt, “The idea for this fellowship grew from my years of listening to artists and learning what a difference mid-career travel and study can make in an artist’s vision, skill, and scope. I wanted to foster that and enhance the Mississippi Museum of Art’s relationship with artists living in the state.”
The Mississippi Invitational and its biennial exhibition, artist fellowship, and catalog are made possible with support from the Community Foundation for Mississippi/Jane Crater Hiatt Fund.
On Saturday, June 10 at 2 PM, Guest Curator Pfohl will be joined by Brown-David for a discussion that is free and open to the public.
About Adrienne Brown-David
Adrienne Brown-David (b. 1978) is a figurative artist who lives in Water Valley, a small rural town in northern Mississippi. Brown-David lived in Saint Louis, Chicago (where she briefly attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago), and the Virgin Islands before she settled in the South. She has been featured in numerous exhibitions and publications throughout the United States and Caribbean. Brown-David is a wife and mother of four children, and the experience of motherhood has greatly influenced her work.
About the Jane Crater Hiatt Artist Fellowship
The Jane Crater Hiatt Artist Fellowship was created in 2005 by Jane Crater Hiatt and her late husband Wood (1930-2010) in response to the need to nurture and invigorate the arts within the state. The fellowship provides support to an individual artist in the development and creation of art over a two-year period. The funds may be used to purchase supplies and equipment, conduct research, or travel, and may be used for study with an individual artist or in a studio, workshop, or residency setting. Following the conclusion of the grant period, the artist is required to donate one original work of art, chosen from at least five works created during the grant period, to the Museum. Only artists whose work is selected for inclusion in the Mississippi Invitational exhibition are eligible to apply for the Fellowship in the year that their work is chosen. The recipient’s works should demonstrate the potential for significant artistic and cultural impact, as well as act as a catalyst for the development and realization of adventurous and imaginative ideas. The Jane Crater Hiatt Artist Fellowship is made possible by the Community Foundation for Mississippi/Jane Crater Hiatt Fund.
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Visitor Information
Opening Hours:
Tuesday – Saturday: 11 AM – 5 PM
Sunday: 1 PM – 5 PM
General Admission:
$15 Adults
$13 Seniors (65+)
$10 Youth* (ages 6-17) and College students (with ID)
Free for Museum Members
*Free for children ages 5 and under
Free for K-12 students on Tuesdays thanks to Feild Co-Operative Association and Thursdays thanks to Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi.
Admission is free for Mississippi State University students thanks to our Collegiate partner program.
Admission is free for active-duty military and their families through the Blue Star Museums program from May 20, 2023, and will conclude on September 4, 2023.
Press photography, credit lines, and artists’ bios for the 2023 Mississippi Invitational are at this link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/0zm6a7axwgukwwfb9uuja/h?dl=0&rlkey=ljqs423xushknbrosmlldnldj
About the Mississippi Museum of Art
Established in 1911, the Mississippi Museum of Art (MMA) is dedicated to connecting Mississippi to the world and the power of art to the power of community. The Museum’s permanent collection includes paintings, photography, multimedia works, and sculpture by Mississippi, American, and international artists. The largest art museum in the state, the Mississippi Museum of Art offers a vibrant roster of exhibitions, public programs, artistic and community partnerships, educational initiatives, and opportunities for exchange year-round. Programming is developed inclusively with community involvement to ensure that a diversity of voices and perspectives are represented. Located at 380 South Lamar Street in downtown Jackson, the Museum is committed to honesty, equity, and inclusion. The Mississippi Museum of Art and its programs are sponsored in part by the City of Jackson and Visit Jackson. Support is also provided in part by funding from the Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency, and in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. For more information, visit msmuseumart.org.
