Gia M. Hamilton
{{Short description|American applied anthropologist}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Gia M. Hamilton
| image = Gia Hamilton Headshot (1).jpg
| alt = Gia M. Hamilton
| caption =
| birth_name = Gia Maisha Hamilton
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|07|30}}
| birth_place = New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
| other_names =
| occupation = Curator
| education = CUNY Graduate Center
New York University
| years_active = 2006-present
| website = {{URL|giahamiltonstudio.com}}
}}
Gia Maisha Hamilton (born July 30, 1978) is an applied anthropologist who employs methodology to investigate land, labor and cultural production while examining social connectivity within institutions and communities. As a model builder, Hamilton co-founded an independent African centered school, Little Maroons in 2006; later, she opened a creative incubator space- Gris Gris Lab in 2009 and designed and led the Joan Mitchell Center artist residency program in New Orleans as a consultant from 2011- 2013 and director from 2013-2018.
Early life and education
Hamilton was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her father is a retired nuclear engineer.{{cite web|title=Gia Hamilton Lecture|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyshXBDHWJY|website=Mediatheque, Pacific Northwest College of Art|format=Video talk|date=7 October 2016}}
Hamilton received a bachelor's degree in cultural anthropology from New York University and a Master's of applied anthropology from Graduate Center of the City University of New York.
Career
In 2011 Hamilton curated The Invisible Man Exhibit at The George & Leah McKenna Museum of African American Art through her Gris Gris Lab project for Prospect 2, a meeting place and think tank for local cultural workers to work together which she launched in 2009 in New Orleans.{{Cite web|title=Gia Hamilton|url=https://www.soapboxinc.com/speakers/gia-hamilton/|access-date=2020-07-08|website=www.soapboxinc.com}}{{Cite web|title=Gia Hamilton|url=https://www.scad.edu/content/gia-hamilton|access-date=2020-07-08|website=SCAD.edu|language=en}} The show referenced Ralph Ellison's novel and highlighted local contemporary black male artists.{{Cite news|url=http://goinvade.com/the-invisible-man-exhibit/|title=THE INVISIBLE MAN Exhibit - Invade|date=2011-10-21|work=Invade|access-date=2017-03-12|language=en-US}}
After 15 years in Brooklyn and her work on Prospect 2, New Orleans, Hamilton moved back to New Orleans full-time. There she opened Gris Gris Lab, a meeting place and think tank for local cultural workers to work together.
In 2013 Hamilton became the Director of the Joan Mitchell Center where she spearheaded the creation of their New Orleans twelve million dollar campus development of an artists' residency program, cultural initiatives and investment in the local arts community.{{Cite news|url=https://www.artforum.com/diary/id=48878|title=Linda Yablonsky at the opening of Prospect 3 in New Orleans|last=Yablonsky|first=Linda|work=artforum.com|access-date=2017-03-12|language=en-us}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.nola.com/arts/index.ssf/2015/08/the_joan_mitchell_center_125_m.html|title=The Joan Mitchell Center, $12.5 million artist retreat, a post-Katrina gift|work=NOLA.com|access-date=2017-03-12|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=http://nolavie.com/new-leadership-continues-stunning-arts-commitment-to-the-crescent-city-96580/|title=New leadership continues stunning arts commitment to the Crescent City|date=2015-02-05|work=NolaVie - Life and Culture in New Orleans|access-date=2017-03-11|language=en-US}} The residency program uniquely hosts international emerging, mid-career and established artists alongside local emerging artists that fosters a dialogue about their work on an international platform.{{Cite news|url=https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-10-years-after-katrina-art-helped-new-orleans-rebuild|title=10 Years After Katrina, How Art Has Helped New Orleans Rebuild|last=Kaplan|first=Isaac|date=2015-08-17|work=Artsy|access-date=2017-03-12}} The campus provides an oasis for artists while maintaining a central location and access to New Orleans. She was able to bring trust and criticality to the project as well as knowledge of native New Orleanean art, "ethnographic assessment and organizational design."{{Cite news|url=http://www.nola.com/arts/index.ssf/2013/09/joan_mitchell_center_of_new_or.html|title=Joan Mitchell Center of New Orleans hires local arts consultant as director|work=NOLA.com|access-date=2017-03-11|language=en-US}}
Hamilton was invited by Ace Hotel to curate Southern Parlour Exhibition, that created a new space for cultural exchange and dialogue about blackness in contemporary art for both artists and visitors. Southern Parlour was one of four salons Ace Hotel hosted and one of Hamilton's goals was to examine the multiple perspectives contemporary work by black artists offers. This exhibition was hosted by Hamilton's project, Afrofuture Society, which is a global-thinking cultural and social New Orlean's based group that explores alternatives to dominant culture.{{Cite news|url=http://blog.nola.com/new_orleans/2016/11/new_orleans_artists_recently_f.html|title=Budding New Orleans artists recently found big display for work|work=NOLA.com|access-date=2017-03-12|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101194648/http://blog.nola.com/new_orleans/2016/11/new_orleans_artists_recently_f.html|archive-date=2018-01-01|url-status=dead}}
Hamilton moderated a panel for Prospect 3 on political and social responsibility of art institutions and artists. The panel included Brandan Odums of ExhibitBE, Imani Jacqueline Brown and Lisa Sigal of Blights Out, Willie Birch, and Nari Ward.{{Cite news|url=http://pelicanbomb.com/events/2015/1/24/p-3-panel-discussion-on-the-artists-responsibility|title=P.3 Panel Discussion on the Artist's Responsibility|last=Bomb|first=Pelican|work=Pelican Bomb|access-date=2017-03-12|language=en|archive-date=2017-03-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170315085446/http://pelicanbomb.com/events/2015/1/24/p-3-panel-discussion-on-the-artists-responsibility|url-status=dead}}
Hamilton was one of four curators to revive the Atlanta Biennial at the Atlanta Contemporary in 2016 featuring a Southern perspective on the contemporary art survey show.{{Cite news|url=http://nique.net/entertainment/2016/09/09/atlanta-biennial-renewal-celebrates-southern-art/|title=Atlanta Biennial renewal celebrates Southern art|work=Technique|access-date=2017-03-11|language=en-us}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.clatl.com/culture/article/20831405/the-south-comes-alive-once-again|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826192208/http://www.clatl.com/culture/article/20831405/the-south-comes-alive-once-again|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 26, 2016|title=The South comes alive once again|work=Creative Loafing Atlanta|access-date=2017-03-12|language=en}} The show examined connections between artists across the Southeast instead of focusing on artists in the Atlanta metro area.{{Cite web|url=http://www.artnews.com/2016/08/29/rooting-for-the-home-team-the-atlanta-biennial-returns/|title=Rooting for the Home Team: The Atlanta Biennial Returns {{!}} ARTnews|website=www.artnews.com|language=en-US|access-date=2017-03-12}} Notable artists featured in this exhibition include William Downs, Stacy Lynn Waddell, Kalup Linzy and Harmony Korine.{{Cite web|url=https://atlantacontemporary.org/exhibitions/atlbnl|title=ATLBNL{{!}}Atlanta Contemporary|last=Studio|first=Familiar|website=Atlanta Contemporary|language=en-us|access-date=2017-03-11}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.artsatl.com/breaking-news-atlanta-contemporary-bringing-atlanta-biennial/|title=Breaking News: The Atlanta Contemporary is bringing back the Atlanta Biennial|date=2016-07-18|work=ArtsATL|access-date=2017-03-12|language=en-US}}
As part of Savannah College of Art and Design's initiative for bringing international creatives in to dialogue with SCAD students, Hamilton led a discussion with artists Lavar Monroe, Robin Rhode and the design group R & R Studios at SCAD Museum of Art in 2016.{{Cite news|url=http://www.dallasweekly.com/arts_and_entertainment/article_3635faf2-cb7b-11e5-9e50-bffe02e944ff.html|title=Carrie Mae Weems named SCAD deFINE ART honoree|work=The Dallas Weekly|access-date=2017-03-12|archive-date=2016-09-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160906073312/http://www.dallasweekly.com/arts_and_entertainment/article_3635faf2-cb7b-11e5-9e50-bffe02e944ff.html|url-status=dead}}
In 2018, Hamilton received a Next City Vanguard fellowship.{{Cite web|url=https://nextcity.org/vanguard/members|title=Vanguards|website=nextcity.org|language=en|access-date=2019-03-01}} She partnered with Airbnb to host a Modern Matriarch tour, which focuses on women of color in New Orleans' 7th ward.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bizneworleans.com/Today-In-Biz/July-2018/Airbnb-Launches-Experiences-In-New-Orleans-Offering-Nearly-25-Activities-Led-By-Locals/|title=Airbnb Launches Experiences In New Orleans, Offering Nearly 25 Activities Led By Locals|website=www.bizneworleans.com|language=en|access-date=2019-03-01}}
Hamilton has written for Huffington Post and Pelican Bomb about maintaining a healthy lifestyle as a culture worker and single mother of four boys.{{Cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/american-anthropological-association/lifestyle-design-parentin_b_1509754.html|title=Lifestyle Design: Parenting while Single|last=Association|first=American Anthropological|date=2012-05-14|website=Huffington Post|language=en-US|access-date=2017-03-13}}{{Cite news|url=http://pelicanbomb.com/art-review/2014/30-americans-in-new-orleans-gia-hamilton-with-apsu-isael-and-kush-amen|title=30 Americans in New Orleans: Gia Hamilton with Apsu, Isael, and Kush Amen|last=Bomb|first=Pelican|work=Pelican Bomb|access-date=2017-03-13|language=en}}
Hamilton has been on the board of Tulane University's Newcomb Museum, Alliance for Artist Communities, and New Orleans Video Access Center. She has also been featured in curatorial intensives with Independent Curators International.{{Cite web |url=http://curatorsintl.org/collaborators/gia-hamilton |title=Gia Hamilton - Collaborators - Independent Curators International |website=curatorsintl.org |language=en |access-date=2017-03-12}}
Since 2019 Hamilton has reopened the New Orleans African American Museum and has been serving as its executive director and chief curator.{{Cite web|date=2019-08-26|title=Gia Hamilton Reopens the New Orleans African American Museum|url=https://www.whitewall.art/art/gia-hamilton-reopens-new-orleans-african-american-museum|access-date=2020-07-08|website=Whitewall}}
Family
Hamilton lives in New Orleans with her five sons and daughter in Tremé.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=Gia M Hamilton |url=https://www.noaam.org/team |access-date=8 July 2020 |website=New Orleans African American Museum}}
Recognitions
Hamilton received the 2018 Next City Vanguard fellowship, nominated for the 2018 City Business Woman of Year award and was City Business 2022 Hospitality Leader.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{URL|giahamiltonstudio.com}}
- [https://thegrisgrislab.wordpress.com/about/ Gris Gris Lab]
- [https://www.afrofuturesociety.com/ Afrofuture Society]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton, Gia M.}}
Category:20th-century African-American people
Category:20th-century African-American women
Category:21st-century African-American people
Category:21st-century African-American women
Category:New York University alumni
Category:CUNY Graduate Center alumni
Category:American women curators
Category:American arts administrators