The Harlem Renaissance & Transatlantic Modernism: A Curatorial Talk

An evening conversation exploring Black modern life, global exchange, and the making of a landmark exhibition with Tiarra Brown.
Join us for a special talk with Tiarra Brown, who helped bring together the groundbreaking exhibition The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. This conversation will offer insight into the ideas, research, and curatorial decisions behind one of the most significant surveys of the Harlem Renaissance presented in New York City in decades.
The exhibition examines how Black artists portrayed everyday modern life during the 1920s–1940s, a period shaped by the Great Migration and the emergence of new Black urban identities, particularly in Harlem, but also across the United States. Through painting, sculpture, photography, film, and ephemera, the show reframes the Harlem Renaissance as a central force in the development of international modern art.
In this talk, Tiarra will share:

• How the exhibition came together and the thinking behind its scope
• The importance of placing Harlem Renaissance artists in dialogue with European modernists
• The role of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) collections and institutional partnerships in shaping the narrative
• Why this moment matters now, for museums, scholarship, and the broader public

Featured artists in the exhibition include Charles Alston, Aaron Douglas, Meta Warrick Fuller, William H. Johnson, Archibald Motley, Augusta Savage, James Van Der Zee, and Laura Wheeler Waring, shown alongside international figures such as Henri Matisse, Edvard Munch, Pablo Picasso, and others, prompting important conversations about influence, representation, and modernity across the African diaspora.
This event is ideal for artists, designers, educators, students, historians, and anyone interested in Black art history, modernism, and curatorial practice. Expect an engaging talk followed by time for audience questions and discussion.
All images and works depicted and included are property of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.