In partnership with ASU’s Center for Work and Democracy and the George Floyd Global Memorial, ASU Art Museum presents “Twin Flames: The George Floyd Uprising from Minneapolis to Phoenix.” Presented for the first time outside of Minnesota and on view from February 3 through July 28, 2024 at the ASU Art Museum, “Twin Flames” asks important questions about the role of art and community as a vehicle for bearing witness and creating deeper understanding and empathy. It also examines the state of public memorials in this country, and prompts us to reflect on whose stories are shared, by whom and why.
In contrast to traditional monuments, “Twin Flames” is a powerful, community-led exhibition that showcases a selection of the thousands of offerings laid by mourners and protesters at George Floyd Square, collected by a group of community caretakers and cataloged by the George Floyd Global Memorial team. This exhibition recognizes that creative and artistic expressions of pain and hope exist beyond the walls of museums, in all forms and a myriad of cultural expressions, and that George Floyd Square is a public space that can teach us how to mobilize as we mourn victims of police violence and imagine a more just world.
Public programs will accompany the exhibition, including:
Friday, February 2, 2024 (5:00 — 7:00 p.m.): Public Opening Reception
Friday, February 2, 2024 (8:00 — 11:00 p.m.): Taste of Melanin, Silent Disco
Thursday, March 28, 2024 (3:00 — 4:00 p.m.): Histories of Protest in Art and Music
Saturday, April 19, 2024 (7:00 — 9:00 p.m.): Film screening + Panel Discussion for “Stonebreakers”
Thursday, May 2, 2024: Are Objects Forever? The Evolving Thinking on Conservation and Collections Care: Hear from Twin Flames’ Community of Practice, a committee of community members steering the exhibition at ASU Art Museum
“Twin Flames: The George Floyd Uprising from Minneapolis to Phoenix” is organized by Jeanelle Austin, Executive Director of the George Floyd Global Memorial; Heather Carroll, Archiving Sacred Spaces Fellow of the George Floyd Global Memorial; Dr. Rashad Shabazz, Associate Professor in the Schools of Social Transformation and Geographical Sciences & Urban Planning, Arizona State University; Maria Esch, Researcher at the Center for Work and Democracy, Arizona State University; and ASUAM Curator Brittany Corrales.
This exhibition is made possible by major funding provided by the Burton Family Foundation and Cheryl and Jahm Najafi.
Additional generous funding from (as of Feb. 2024) Emily Beach, Pascha Bueno-Hansen, Melissa Fernandez, Carolyn Forbes, Shelly Gordon, Kenja Hassan, Jorge Hernandez, Dulce Juarez, Robin Baskin McNulty, Sentari Minor, Marco Mojica, Ramona Norman, Tracy Perkins, Olivia Perryman, Trish Robinson, Anthony Rowe, Yasmin Shaheed, Nancy Temple, Bart Thurber, Cheryl Wynn, Anonymous Donors and the Center for Work and Democracy, Arizona State University. Additional thanks to members of the ASU Art Museum’s Board and Councils. This exhibition showcases, in part, a partnership between the George Floyd Global Memorial, the Center for Work and Democracy, Arizona State University and the ASU Art Museum.
The exhibition is presented in collaboration with a Community of Practice composed of: Liz Agboola, CEO, Trinity Integrated Care; Miriam Araya, New Worlds Organizer, Black Lives Matter Phoenix Metro; Shimyrre Britt, Event Curator, dialog; Kara Brooks, artist; Dr. Amber C. Coleman, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Art Education, Arizona State University; Dr. Kenja Hassan, Assistant Vice President, Government & Community Engagement, Arizona State University; Moses Hollis, Assistant Director, New Student Programs, Arizona State University; Dr. Mahlika Hopwood, Assistant Teaching Professor & Honors Faculty Fellow, Barrett Honors Faculty, Arizona State University; Barbara Noble Howard, University Fellow for Non-Profit Leadership, Office of University Affairs, Arizona State University; Armonee Jackson, Operations Director for Arizona List; Michael Jackson, CEO of Mya Kai Creative; Dr. Anthony Pratcher, Assistant Professor of African American Studies in the Ethnic Studies Program at Northern Arizona University, Northern Arizona University; Ellison Shabazz, child of ASU faculty; Simone Shabazz, child of ASU faculty; Dr. Rashad Shabazz, Associate Professor, Arizona State University; Roy Tatem Jr., Immediate Past President of the East Valley NAACP, President of Vanguard Strategies and Consulting, LLC; Benjamin Taylor, Civil Rights Attorney, Taylor & Gomez LLP; President of the State Bar of Arizona; Shawna Tibbett, Administrative Specialist, DPC Govt and Community Engagement, Arizona State University; Collette Watson, artist, cultural organizer, and communications strategist at Black River Life Media; and Brian Watson, Financial Advisor, Merrill Lynch.
Special thanks to: Bart Thurber, Black Lives Matter Phoenix Metro, George Floyd Square Community, Mya Kai Creative; Angela Harrelson, Aunt of George Floyd & GFGM Board Co-Chair; Paris Stevens, First Cousin of George Floyd & GFGM Board Co-Chair, Dr. Michael McQuarrie, Director of the Center for Work and Democracy; Maud McQuarrie, child of ASU Faculty; George Floyd Square Community Members: Butchy Austin, Jimmy Austin, Sundiata Austin, Zamira Austin, Raycurt Johnson, Phi Khalar, Jud Kilgore, Dylan Leavitt-Phibbs, Jennie Leenay, Forest Olivier, Redemption Peters-DuRose, Sam Pitmon, Jordan Powell Karis, Jason Quick, Janae Rupert, Johanna Rupert, Shari Seifert, Denise Tennen, James Antravier Thomas, Lauren Thrift, Shekela Wanyama, Thursday Williamson and Huda Yusuf.
Mya Kai creative. Twin Flames: The George Floyd Uprising from Minneapolis to Phoenix. ASUAM COMS.
