Speaker: Faheem Majeed’s Freedom’s Stand, A Sculpture of Black Newspapers

Unpack artist Faheem Majeed’s sculpture Freedom’s Stand to learn more about the significance of the African American press and how it inspires today’s modern artists. 

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In September 2022 Majeed premiered the site-specific sculpture that features a rotating selection of front pages of historical and contemporary African American newspapers and magazines at the High Line in New York City, and the sculpture’s exhibition will close in April 2024. Learn how Majeed developed the idea for this sculpture’s content and form, and why he drew inspiration for the sculpture from the structures of the Dogon granaries in West Mali. Majeed will be joined by his research assistant Shola Jimoh to discuss the selection process for the publications and front-page headlines that have rotated through the display for the past year and a half. Go deeper as we investigate not only the informational value of Black newspapers, but also the social, spiritual and artistic significance these publications continue to bring to bear in our current culture. 

About

Faheem Majeed is an artist, educator, curator and community facilitator. He blends his unique experience as a non-profit administrator, curator and artist to create works that focus on institutional critique and exhibitions that leverage collaboration to engage his immediate community, as well as the broader community, in meaningful dialogue. He is the co-founder/co-director of the arts collective Floating Museum. Majeed received his BFA from Howard University and his MFA from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC).  

Shola Jimoh is currently a second-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Performance Studies at Northwestern University. She graduated from the University of Illinois-Chicago in 2022, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Public Health with the highest distinction. Under the leadership and guidance of Faheem Majeed, Shola has served as a research assistant on several interdisciplinary archival projects concerning black American (hi)stories within the arts and beyond.   

Connect 

Faheem Majeed – Website | Faheem Majeed – Facebook | Faheem Majeed – Instagram  

Faheem Majeed, Freedom’s Stand, 2022. A High Line Commission. On view September 2022 – April 2024. Photo by Lawrence Sumulong. Courtesy of the High Line.