Detroit's Modern Ancient Brown Foundation Welcomes Acclaimed Curator Taylor Renee Aldridge as Executive Director

In a significant move, the Modern Ancient Brown Foundation (MAB) in Detroit, Michigan, has appointed Taylor Renee Aldridge as its new executive director. Aldridge, a renowned curator and writer, joins the foundation from the California African American Museum (CAAM) in Los Angeles, where she served as the visual arts curator and program manager since 2020. This appointment marks a homecoming for Aldridge, who was born and raised in Detroit.

Empowering Detroit's Vibrant Arts Ecosystem

Expanding Artistic Opportunities for All

The Modern Ancient Brown Foundation, founded by artist McArthur Binion in 2019, is dedicated to supporting BIPOC artists and writers in Detroit through visiting fellowships and post-baccalaureate artist residencies. Aldridge's appointment as the executive director signals the foundation's commitment to further expanding its programming and reaching out to all members of the Detroit community who are interested in developing their artistic practices. Her goal is to create access to valuable resources, including thoughtful relationships, tactical resources, and workshops led by leading artists and arts professionals, ultimately strengthening Detroit's ever-evolving arts landscape.

Honoring the Foundation's Legacy and Vision

Aldridge expressed her excitement about this new role, stating, "I am honored to initiate my homecoming to Detroit as Modern Ancient Brown's Executive Director. I see supporting artists as a holistic process that must center interpersonal care and mutual aid as much as professional mentorship and rigorous critique. I have long admired McArthur Binion's practice and vision for the Foundation, and I am thrilled to be a part of its legacy where I will expand upon the arts ecosystem in the city I call home."

Aldridge's Impressive Curatorial and Writing Portfolio

Aldridge's extensive experience as a curator and writer has earned her a reputation as a respected voice in the art world. She is the co-curator of the Los Angeles presentation of the "Simone Leigh" exhibition, which is currently on view at CAAM and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art until January 2025. This traveling exhibition is the first comprehensive survey of Leigh, who represented the United States at the 2022 Venice Biennale.At CAAM, Aldridge has curated several notable exhibitions, including "Troy Montes Michie: Rock of Eye" (2022), "Mario Moore: Enshrined: Presence and Preservation" (2022), and "Enunciated Life" (2021), which explored Black spiritual beliefs. She has also organized solo shows for artists such as Chloë Bass, Darol Olu Kae, Matthew Thomas, and LaToya Ruby Frazier.Aldridge's curatorial work extends beyond CAAM, with exhibitions at Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit, and the Detroit Institute of Arts, where she briefly served as the assistant curator of contemporary art from 2016 to 2018.

A Multifaceted Artistic Advocate

In addition to her curatorial work, Aldridge is a respected writer and editor. In 2014, she co-founded ARTS.BLACK, an online journal of art criticism, and her writing has appeared in numerous art publications. Most recently, she edited the book "All These Liberations: Women Artists in the Eileen Harris Norton Collection."Aldridge's academic background includes an MLA degree from Harvard University with a concentration in museum studies and a BA degree from Howard University with a concentration in art history. Her diverse experiences and expertise make her well-equipped to lead the Modern Ancient Brown Foundation and further its mission of supporting and empowering Detroit's vibrant arts community.

Investing in Detroit's Creative Ecosystem

The Modern Ancient Brown Foundation is led by artist McArthur Binion, who has been active for more than 50 years, developing an intensely personal artistic practice that engages with minimalism. Binion, who was born in Mason, Mississippi, and grew up in Detroit, is now investing in the city's artists and creative community through the foundation.The foundation is based in East Detroit at The Shepherd, a multi-faceted art campus established by Library Street Collective that opened to the public earlier this year. Aldridge's appointment as the foundation's third executive director is a testament to the organization's commitment to fostering and supporting the arts in Detroit.The foundation's board of trustees, led by Binion and including his three adult children, expressed their confidence in Aldridge's ability to lead the organization, stating, "When it came time to elect a new Executive Director, there was no question in our minds that Taylor would be a meaningful fit."The board highlighted Aldridge's deep understanding of Detroit's arts ecosystem and her ethos of mutual aid and cooperative economies, which they believe are vital to the sustainability of artists' careers. They are confident that Aldridge's capacity to build trust, facilitate connections, and practice care will enable the foundation to contribute to the preexisting arts community and fuel the role of the arts in Detroit's ongoing revitalization.