Before_Yesterday_We_Could_Fly_An_Afrofuturist_Period_Room

Exhibition Overview

• Title: Before Yesterday We Could Fly: An Afrofuturist Period Room

• Introduction: By Ian Alteveer, Hannah Beachler, and Sarah Lawrence; Essay by Michelle D. Commander; Graphic Novella by John Jennings.

• Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

• Exhibition Dates: Opened November 5, 2021.

• Support: Made possible by the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation and the Director’s Fund; additional support from Art Mentor Foundation Lucerne and the Terra Foundation for American Art.

Director's Note

• Curatorial Approach: Examines the present and future through a speculative lens of Afrofuturism.

• Significance: Provokes new conversations about Black creativity and acknowledges historical narratives that have been overlooked.

• Collaborators: Involvement of numerous artists and thinkers, including leads Hannah Beachler and Ian Alteveer along with Michelle D. Commander as consulting curator.

Curatorial Context

• Traditional Period Rooms: Typically represent affluent, predominantly white and Eurocentric culture.

• New Perspectives: This exhibition is a departure from traditional narratives, founded on collaborative approaches and speculative histories.

• Focus on Seneca Village: Represents the history and circumstance of a Black community that existed in the 19th century before its erasure for Central Park.

• Historical Fiction: The installation proposes a reimagined domestic space, allowing viewers to visualize an alternate reality where Seneca Village thrived.

Afrofuturism Defined

• Concept: Coined by critic Mark Dery in 1994, Afrofuturism encompasses creative practices that imagine alternative presents and futures centered around Black agency and culture.

• Cultural Expression: Engages with various mediums including music, literature, design, and visual arts to confront historical narratives.

• Historical Connections: The exhibit intersects the present reality with historical memory providing a lens through which to speculate about future possibilities.

Installation Elements

• Space Design: Combination of historical and contemporary elements; incorporates actual objects from The Met collection.

• Objects Displayed: Includes Bamileke beadwork, 19th-century American ceramics, and contemporary art, illustrating a lineage of Black creative expression.

• Architectural Innovation: Features juxtaposition of a modernist structure with traditional elements to visualize temporal fluidity.

• Visual Artistic Contributions: Works by artists like Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Roberto Lugo, and others act as a backdrop to the narrative of Black resilience and innovation.

Social and Historical Commentary

• Memory and Identity: Invites discussions about the legacy of displacement, societal repression, and the reclamation of Black narratives.

• Connections to Current Issues: Engages with ongoing conversations about race, identity, and the historical impacts of slavery.

• Use of Space: The exhibition emphasizes the duality of remembrance and speculative imagination, asking visitors to consider what has been lost and what futures can be built.

Conclusion

• Purpose of the Exhibition: To awaken a dialogue regarding the integration of Afrofuturist themes within the institutional context of The Met, challenging traditional museum narratives and prompting new interpretations of history and culture.

• Vision for Engagement: The exhibition encourages viewers to reflect on the cultural implications of past events while envisioning a future rich with possibilities for Black narratives.