Whats Next Series: Nekisha Durrett on Power of Art & Memory

A featured artist in the newly opened Obama Presidential Center, Nekisha Durrett brings hidden and overlooked histories into public view. Grounded in deep research and material exploration, her multidisciplinary practice spans public art, installation, sculpture, painting, and social practice. Durrett is especially drawn to stories of Black life, labor, and imagination that have been forgotten or intentionally erased, creating spaces that hold both remembrance and possibility.

Nekisha will share how memory shapes her art and provide an overview of her work followed by a fireside chat with Dorothy Kosinki, Director Emerita of The Phillips Collection.

Join us from 3 - 4 pm at Art-Play-Practice at Phillips@THEARC and experience an interactive installation inspired by the groundbreaking drape paintings of Washington, D.C., artist Sam Gilliam (1933–2022).

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Begin with a Dreamer is a group art exhibition by The Dap Project celebrating DC women whose work to advance democracy, liberation, and revolution deserves greater recognition.

Inspired by Building Bridges Across the River’s 2026 “Founding Mothers” theme, Begin with a Dreamer shifts the focus to the women whose leadership, creativity, advocacy, and vision have helped shape the ongoing story of liberation, revolution, and democracy in Washington, DC.

Before the event, guests are invited to visit the exhibition in the West Lobby, located outside THEARC Black Box Theater, to view the artwork and celebrate the women whose stories and contributions continue to inspire our communities.