“As the recipient of the Smithsonian Artist Residency Fellowship, Jefferson Pinder had access to the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s Great Migration Home Movie Archives. This collection beautifully encapsulates eighty years of family memories and images. Pinder and his team have scoured the collection to find intimate moments that resonate with the Black experience from decades past. Focusing on dance and movement, the video artwork captures a series of lyrical moments that transition intensely into something dark and spiritual.”

My Role: I supported this project by researching the Great Migration Movie Archives. I traveled to Washington, D.C., to work with Smithsonian staff to obtain copies of relevant archival material that edited the piece in service of Jefferson’s vision.

Challenges/Opportunities: This was one of the first creative reuse projects with this archive, so it was great working with Smithsonian staff and film donors alike to use this footage in a new way.