Meet Our Fall 2023 Interns

Posted on by

Meet our fall 2023 interns, who have just finished up their internships at the Phillips. Read about what they worked on over this past semester.

Fall 2023 Intern Cohort visits Phillips@THEARC

Divya Chhotani, American University

Divya Chhotani is the DEAI Intern. During her time at the Phillips, her primary focus has been conducting an intergenerational study of the staff and understanding the link between DEAI and guest services in the museum space. Through surveys and interviews, Divya assessed if the staff felt that their generation has helped them understand the world better or hindered them in the long run. Divya is from Austin, Texas, and is studying psychology, justice, and law at American University in Washington, DC. Divya enjoys hanging out with her friends and family in her free time, trying new restaurants in DC, and listening to music.

Zi Li, George Washington University

Zi Li is a second-year Art History MA student at the George Washington University. She gained her bachelor’s degree from Bryn Mawr College in 2022 with Art History and Math double major. Her research interest falls in studying intercultural artistic communication and material culture, especially textiles and ornaments. In fall 2023, she worked at The Phillips Collection as a Public Programming intern with Head of Public Programs Ashley Whitfield in the Community Engagement Department. Zi helped with public events such as curator talks, book signings, and Phillips after 5. She researched and planned activities for the December Winter Solstice-themed Phillips after 5, which featured making holiday gift bows, paper lanterns, and origami wreaths. The activities were very popular!

Kelsey Limpert, Salisbury University

Kelsey Limpert is a fall 2020 graduate of Salisbury University, where she received a BFA and an Art History minor. Her thesis exhibition revolved around embroidery, seeking to push beyond conventional conceptions of it as a medium, while also being inspired by Medieval and Proto-Renaissance artwork. While at The Phillips Collection, she interned with the Advancement Department and worked alongside Corporate Relations Officer Miranda Burr. She researched prospective donors for the upcoming Bonnard’s Worlds exhibition, and used that information to draft letters for solicitation packets, which she also prepared and mailed. She also assisted with the project management for the African Modernism in America Stewardship Report, a packet to give to donors and members upon conclusion of the exhibition that highlights the success of the exhibition while also serving as a historical document. For the Membership Department, she combined three reciprocal benefits lists to provide ease of access for current and prospective members and the front desk staff.

Laura Pratt, University of Maryland

Laura Pratt is in the final year of her Master’s of Library and Information Sciences at the University of Maryland. She previously graduated from the College of Wooster with a Bachelor’s in history, specializing in Chinese History with a minor in Technical Theater. Since then, she has worked as an IT assistant at a K-12 school and interned at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art, the National Archives, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, and now The Phillips Collection as the Library and Archives Intern. In this role, she has been able to expand her experience with fine art archives, process collections of music pamphlets from throughout the institution’s history, and learn about the different departments of the museum. After the close of her internship, Laura will be joining the National Archives and Records Administration in College Park full time as an Archives Technician.

Fall cohort at the National Gallery of Art

To The East: Rik Freeman

Posted on by

Photographs of murals by Rik Freeman are part of To the East: The Rise of Murals East of the River (on view at Phillips@THEARC through February 8, 2024). Curated by Cory Lee Stowers, Executive Director of DC Murals, To the East reveals important context to the purpose and practice of mural-making in Washington, DC, and beyond. The Phillips Collection Fellow, Arianna Adade, met with Rik Freeman to discuss his background.

Rik Freeman in his studio

Rik Freeman, a pioneering mural artist, made a name for himself for one of his earliest murals of Marvin Gaye in Washington, DC. Completed in 1993, this mural at the intersection of U Street & 13th Street NW, in the vibrant corridor formerly known as “Black Broadway,” holds special importance as people often forget that Marvin Gaye is a DC native, and also features DC native Duke Ellington. Freeman’s artworks are more than just creative expressions; they serve as educational resources, centered on hundreds of years of Black history.

Rik Freeman’s mural in Deanwood, 100 Years in African American History, 1993. Photo: Lou Parnale, 1993

Rik Freeman’s mural on the Douglas Recreation Center, 1990

Rik Freeman was born and raised in Athens, Georgia. Growing up in the South, he went to a segregated school and didn’t attend an integrated school until the fourth grade. He recalls his first attempt with art when he was around 10 or 11 years old, drawing a Hank Aaron portrait on his wall. As a child, he was always  sketching but didn’t think of it as a career until high school when he had a Black art teacher. A quiet child who would often get reprimanded for drawing during class, his art teacher allowed him to freely create and experiment with art, invoking his passion for the arts.

Freeman attended Savannah State University where he studied fine art, and it wasn’t until his 20s when he was introduced to mural art. He relocated to DC when he was 29 years old and after battling several obstacles such as losing his father, his job, and going through a break-up, Freeman decided to start taking art seriously. In 1989, he completed his first mural with DC Artworks and has been making a living as an artist ever since.

Rik Freeman, Mavynee’s Aria.

Multiple works by Freeman in his studio

Freeman’s work is deeply rooted in his Southern identity and molded by the rich history of the African diaspora. Freeman’s artistic motivations are diverse; he specifically illustrates blues music in his Blues series, with which he grew up, but also hip-hop and rock. Earth, Wind & Fire, Jimi Hendrix, and The Monkees have all influenced his art. What defines Freeman’s approach lies in his decision to paint murals in working-class communities around the DMV area, emphasizing the importance of everyone, regardless of their socioeconomic status, in molding history.

Rik Freeman’s Studio

Freeman settled permanently in DC after purchasing his home in Deanwood, in Northeast, with his wife. From the outside, his house may seem homely and simple. However, the back tells a different story. Surrounded by beautifully manicured ponds and gardens lies Freeman’s home studio. The gorgeous brick building, covered in lively vines, bolsters large windows throughout, giving an abundance of natural light to the space. The studio harbors dozens of Freeman’s artworks throughout the decades, showing his progression not just as an art, but also as an individual. His beautiful studio often serves as a safe haven for his creative expression and a foundation for his artistic storytelling.

Rather than focusing primarily on iconic Black figures, Freeman’s artistic storytelling has also taken a different path. He purposefully emphasizes the importance of ordinary people in the Black community, highlighting their role in developing and influencing leaders. Through his murals, Freeman hopes to highlight the vital role of everyday individuals in the rich fabric of Black history and culture. 

“A book, you can close it. But a painting, you have to see”

Rik Freeman’s mural, Ode 2 Barry Farms, 2016

In the Studio with Brittany Moná

Posted on by

Brittany Moná’s Resistance in Relaxation and Joy is currently on view in the Digital Window Exhibition space at Phillips@THEARC as part of the Digital Intersections series. The Phillips Collection Fellow Arianna Adade met with the artist to talk about her practice.

Brittany Moná in her studio

In the corner of Brittany Moná’s bedroom rests an altar where she asks for guidance from her ancestors and allows her inspiration to flow intuitively; it is in that same corner where her art truly comes to life. Focusing on abstraction and themes of the Black diaspora as a multidisciplinary artist, Moná’s works primarily consist of a wood medium, but she also integrates photography, canvas paintings, and digital artwork.

Brittany Moná, Daughters of the Diaspora 2, 2023. 9 1/2 x 12 1/2 in., Mixed media on plywood, Courtesy of the artist

As a DMV native, Brittany Moná (Moh-Nay) has had exposure to the intersections of art and culture from a very young age. Growing up, her family kept her deeply involved in the arts. Attending a visual arts high school, Moná had a strong passion for acting and pursued it throughout her adolescence. As an aspiring actress, she was also an early childhood educator, spending much of her time teaching young children through art and museum practices. From 2018 to 2022, Moná briefly dabbled in portrait photography which she still enjoys. However, in the midst of the pandemic, when the world stood still and many felt their careers and passions shift, Moná’s interest in painting blossomed. She channeled her feelings into experimental art and soon enough, her students became a source of inspiration.

Brittany Moná, My Brother’s Keeper, 2023, Acrylic paint, acrylic marker, oil pen on layered wood, 13 x 16 in., Courtesy of the artist

The fundamental elements of her personhood and individuality play a vital role in the emotions Brittany Moná constructs in her works. My Brother’s Keeper draws inspiration from her brother and other young Black men in her community. It mirrors the interconnections among Black men, highlighting the collective responsibility within the community to uplift one another through empowerment and guidance. By blending the essence of grandmotherly figures within the Black community—who embody wisdom, discipline, love, and connection to ancestral roots—she pays homage to Black artists who have paved the way for today’s generation to occupy space in conventional art realms.

Brittany Moná, My Ancestors Vessel, 2023, 4 feet x 32 in., Mixed media on wood, Courtesy of the artist

But, most importantly, her artwork embodies the childlike wonder and innocence children hold, when they are unrestricted in their creative state and free from the influence of the outside world. With her teaching background intertwined with art, Moná believes that children are receptive to learning and have the capacity to understand a multitude of subjects and complexities when given the space and patience to learn. As a Black educator, she wanted her students to find proper representations in art, which is something the museum world still struggles with. She makes this her mission, often thinking of her students throughout the process: “Kids can be the biggest influence.”

Brittany Moná, Guidance, 2023, Digital collage, 24 x 36 in., Courtesy of the artist