July 12, 2026 We were honored to welcome nationally renowned artist Felandus Thames for a special Museum Conversation in our Giant Screen Theater, followed by a tour of our current exhibition, "Joyful Resistance." "Joyful Resistance" sponsored by Art Bridges Foundation, Ron and Carrie Givens and Family, Darlene Violet, Sharlyn Munns, America 250 supporters, Visionary Society, Illinois Arts Council, Friends of Bronzeville to Harlem, Generous support provided by Art Bridges Fou

Tuesday, August 25 • 7 PM - 8 PM EDT Open Air is a monthly series of intimate conversations with Black artists across the globe, hosted by the Gantt. About Felandus Thames Felandus Thames compresses the memory and collective mythology of vernacular objects into distinct arrangements of language, contemporary reference, and popular image as reminders of Afrocentric history and allegory. Through sculpture, assemblage, and installation, Thames compiles vestiges of the joys, an

Honored to stop by the Peoria Riverfront Museum to record a "Museum Minute" about my work A Poor Man's Justice, currently featured in their Joyful Resistance exhibition! The exhibition brings together works across generations of Black American creators—celebrating the spirit, agency, and everyday beauty of Black life. #peoriariverfrontmuseum Watch the short feature here:

I am so grateful to have shared my work and connected with the community at the Peoria Riverfront Museum around the Joyful Resistance exhibition. From the hands-on energy during the Beaded Portrait Workshop to the thoughtful dialogue during our Museum Conversation in the Giant Screen Theater and our gallery tours, it was a truly inspiring experience. A special highlight was getting to explore the rich history of Peoria and tour key Richard Pryor locations. A heartfelt thank y

BY SHANTAY ROBINSON July 17, 2026 A shrine to Black cultural scripts stands in West Haven, Connecticut, a short ride from Union Station. It isn’t an official monument of any kind, but the studio of Felandus Thames, who has been based in the Constitution State since 2008. During a visit in March, the two-room space served as the temporary home to Thames’s latest beaded curtain portraits of notable Black luminaries, which lay on tables awaiting completion. One of his earlier

February 28–June 14, 2026 Florence Griswold Museum 96 Lyme Street Old Lyme, CT 06371 860.434.5542 Welcoming something new can unlock revelations. This exhibition highlights selected additions to the Florence Griswold Museum’s collections over the past decade, a number of which will be displayed for the first time. Art that joins our existing collection introduces its own excitement and fresh perspectives. Pairing old and new works sparks novel ideas and connections, which are