Tuesday, November 10 | 4:30 p.m.
About:
This talk will explore the history, development, and contemporary significance of data visualization through the museum’s exhibition Printing Black America: Du Bois’s Data Portraits in the 21st Century. Beginning with W. E. B. Du Bois’s groundbreaking data visualizations created for the 1900 Paris Exposition, the talk will consider how these works transformed statistical information into compelling visual statements about Black life in America. It will then turn to the contemporary First Impressions portfolio, examining how artists and master printers build upon this legacy through new approaches to data, design, and printmaking.
The talk will also introduce the broader Printing Black America project, highlighting the collaboration between artists and print studios across the United States. With a focus on USF Graphicstudio, where the First Impressions portfolio was produced, it will explore the printmaking techniques, specialized expertise, and collaborative labor behind these works, while considering how the distinct traditions and capabilities of studios across the country contribute to a shared artistic endeavor.
Artwork © William Villalongo, Shraddha Ramani, and Graphicstudio USF. Photographs by Argenis Apolinario.