This exhibition applies an innovative curatorial model to reframe the Mississippi Museum of Art’s collection. In one shared space, five distinct exhibits reflect on Mississippi’s possible futures. Led by Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Julia Harth Hamilton, MMA’s Summer 2026 Museum Practice Internship Cohort—including students Mackenzie Armstrong (University of Southern Mississippi), Hannah Brown (University of Mississippi), Aynecia Gardner (Mississippi Christian University), Sarah Perkins (Mississippi State University), and SavannahClaire Wilkerson (Millsaps College)—learned about exhibition development first-hand to co-curate and co-design this collective presentation. Each of their exhibits will be available for travel across the state starting in late 2027.
Each curator shares a unique story related to the collective theme. Armstrong asserts that in order to consider the future, we must first turn to the past, using symbols of doorways and roads to suggest a variety of uncertain pathways. Brown urges us to think beyond the immediate future, instead engaging with deep time and legacies of inheritance that extend before and past human lifetimes. Inspired by Afrofuturism, Gardner presents mirrored memories of everyday Black life across decades, juxtaposing photography and other creative processes. Perkins’s thesis—that a seed is a changing shape—engages with the native species and natural forces that shape our state’s identity. Wilkerson examines the “signs of the times,” looking at both literal and figurative indicators of Mississippi’s culture, politics, and future. Together, these interpretations of Mississippi’s future connect creative visions past and present, relying on intergenerational knowledge and understandings of nonlinear time.
About the curators (pictured from left to right)
Mackenzie Armstrong
University of Southern Mississippi
Mackenzie Armstrong earned her Associate of Arts degree from Hinds Community College and currently attends The University of Southern Mississippi, pursuing her bachelor’s degree in interior design. She has had opportunities to work on projects for Kids Hub Child Advocacy Center and Jewelmaster custom jewelry. Her interest in art history and museum curation led to her decision to intern at the Mississippi Museum of Art.
SavannahClaire Wilkerson
Millsaps College
SavannahClaire Wilkerson is from Flowood, Mississippi, and recently graduated from Millsaps College with a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Arts and Art History. As a Teaching Fellow at the Mississippi Museum of Art, she researched artworks and developed interactive activities for students. Her senior thesis focused on interpreting the work of George Febres, an artist in the Museum’s permanent collection. Her familiarity with the collection, background in art historical research, and artistic practice have informed her work as a Summer 2026 Museum Practice Intern.
Sarah Perkins
Mississippi State University
After graduating with her Associates of Arts degree from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in 2024, Sarah Perkins transferred to Mississippi State University, where she is now in her senior year as a sculpture major. Her work often utilizes wood and metal forms, complemented by natural textiles and paper, dealing with themes of ritual and connection. Her background as an artist informed her selection and interpretation of works during her time as an intern at the Mississippi Museum of Art.
Aynecia Gardner
Mississippi Christian University
Aynecia Gardner is a current sophomore at Mississippi Christian University studying Graphic Design, with a concentration in Marketing. A former Visual Art student at Ida B Wells APAC (Academic and Performing Arts Complex) and Valedictorian of Murrah High School, Aynecia is a nationally and regionally recognized artist. At MMA, she has served as a Teen Council member and Studio Assistant and currently serves as a Teaching Fellow and Teaching Artist at the Museum, in addition to being a Summer 2026 Museum Practice Intern.
Hannah Brown
University of Mississippi
Hannah Brown is from Oneonta, Alabama, and recently graduated from the University of Mississippi, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy with a minor in History. As a member of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, she developed academic interests in aesthetics, philosophy of science, and the history of philosophy. These interests have informed her work as an intern at the Mississippi Museum of Art. Hannah plans to take a gap year before pursuing graduate studies in philosophy.
