Thursday, June 8
12:00-2:00 PM
583 Park Avenue
NYC
On Thursday, June 8th, the American Federation of Arts held its 2023 Spring Luncheon featuring Sanford Biggers, interdisciplinary conceptual artist, as its guest speaker.
Back in person for the first time since 2019, we were thrilled to welcome guest speaker Sanford Biggers, who was in conversation with Trevor Schoonmaker, Mary D.B.T. and James H. Semans Director, Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University. The Spring Luncheon brought together a passionate community of artists, scholars, collectors, museum directors, and distinguished professionals to support the AFA’s important work.
With several exhibition openings under way in 2023 and a variety of new projects on the horizon, the AFA remains committed to its mission of expanding arts access through touring exhibitions and a robust offering of public programs.
You still have an opportunity to support our touring exhibitions and programs! Your donation helps enrich arts communities across the country and beyond. Thank you!
Spring Luncheon Leadership
Chairs
Elizabeth Belfer
Martha MacMillan
Jennifer New
Co-Chairs
Lorre Erlick
Clare E. McKeon
Stephen Reily
Kimerly Rorschach
Belinda A. Tate
Host Committee
A. Alfred Taubman FoundationMaxwell L. AndersonBetsy Shack BarbanellAnnette Blaugrund, PhDIsolde BrielmaierRenee CoxDiller Scofidio + RenfroBrian FerrisoLeslie & Tom L. FreudenheimLee White GalvisMiki GarciaJudith A. GarsonElaine GoldmanAndrea GroverPamela L. Grutman and Bennet H. GrutmanAgnes GundLyle Ashton HarrisLinda C. HarrisonAnthony HirschelPhyllis HollisElizabeth Madigan JostKaye Spiegler PLLCRoya KhadjaviStephanie R. La NasaBarbara & Richard S. LaneMary Lapides |
NancyJane & Jeffrey M. LoewyMarianne Boesky GalleryClaire MarmionMay and Samuel Rudin Family Foundation, Inc.Brooke A. MintoMonique Meloche GalleryArcmanoro NilesLorraine O’GradyCCH PounderLegacy RussellBetsy Pinover SchiffAngelica SemmelbauerShinique SmithSotheby’sSouls Grown Deep FoundationEllen & Bill TaubmanSusan M. TaylorVictoria TriplettNari WardMonique Schoen WarshawYaél M. WeitzGabrielle M. WilsonCecilia WolfsonIn formation as of 4.24.23 |
Photo: Matthew Morrocco
Sanford Biggers (b. 1970) was raised in Los Angeles and currently lives and works in New York City. His work is an interplay of narrative, perspective, and history that speaks to both current socio-political issues and often overlooked historical occurrences. He is the recipient of numerous awards including the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship (2020); 2019 inductee into the New York Foundation for the Arts Hall of Fame; and the American Academy of Arts and Letters Award (2018).
His work has been shown in several institutional solo and group exhibitions, including The Bronx Museum of the Arts (2021); California African American Museum (2021); Metropolitan Museum of Art (2017); and the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (2016). Sanford is Board President at Sculpture Center and is creative director and keyboardist of Moon Medicin, a multimedia concept band.
Trevor Schoonmaker is the Mary D.B.T. and James H. Semans Director at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University. Hired in 2006 as its first contemporary art curator, he has helped shape the museum’s curatorial vision and contemporary art collection. Under his leadership, the museum has sought to recognize and support diverse artists who have been historically underrepresented. Other career highlights include organizing the New Orleans Triennial, Prospect.4: The Lotus in Spite of the Swamp (2017) and curating Black President: The Art and Legacy of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti at the New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York (2003). Schoonmaker has written and lectured on contemporary art for many institutions and has served on the board of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts from 2010-2018. Schoonmaker is the editor of Fela: From West Africa to West Broadway (2003) and in 2001 co-founded with DJ Rich Medina the Fela-inspired club night, Jump N Funk.
