On Thursday, February 19th, the Hunter Museum of American Art will be hosting the “Meditations on Me” in-gallery art experience that meditates on the work of the Hunter Invitational V artist Jerushia Graham. The event is organized by Gekayla Shumake.
The evening’s meditation and mindfulness guide, Anthony Wiley, will be leading guests in a guided, intimate meditation. The evening will also feature music from Shalynda Hardley and poetry from MiKayla Sanders, with attendees being treated to a warm drink at the end of the evening.
The entire experience is designed to slow people down a bit, allowing them to process and think on the art and join in on a night of community and reflection while highlighting the incredible work of Jersuhia Graham.
In speaking with the CEO of Welcome to Today and the meditation and mindfulness guide for the evening, Anthony Wiley, he mentioned what people can expect from the event that may not be listed online.
“Folks can expect to slow down in a way that feels intentional, not forced. This isn’t a lecture. It’s not a performance where you sit quietly and clap at the end. It’s an invitation to be present, with yourself and with the art. We’ll move through guided meditation, live instrumentation, and poetry, but it’ll feel fluid. There will be moments of silence and moments where you’re looking at a piece, and it starts looking back at you.
What is not listed online is the intimacy: the room will not feel like an event. It’ll feel like a gathering. There will be space for breathwork. There may be reflective prompts that ask you to consider where you see yourself in the work. It’s designed to feel embodied, not intellectual. You will leave quieter inside than you came in, and hopefully clearer.”
Anthony went on to discuss the weight and significance behind Jerushia’s work, detailing not only what makes it so impactful but also what draws people in.
“Jerushia’s work carries weight and tenderness at the same time. That tension pulled me in. There’s something about the way she handles space and texture that feels like memory. Her pieces sit with you, allowing you to project your own story onto them without forcing a narrative.
What drew me in most was the emotional honesty, almost like generational conversations happening beneath the surface. I want participants to engage with that depth. To sit with what feels unfinished, what feels hidden, and what feels familiar. Her pieces invite reflection without telling you what to think.”
Jerushia Graham is an Atlanta-based artist and educator who is known to create socially conscious artwork across mediums like printmaking, papermaking, book, and fiber art.
She exhibits nationally and internationally, with art that explores human interaction. Also essential to her work is to honor and acknowledge her perspective as a Black Southern woman with a global outlook. Graham is the Museum Coordinator for the Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking.
Ultimately, when asked what he hopes people leave the event feeling, Anthony suggested that he hopes they have a sense of slowing down and that the event serves as a reminder to folks that they are not separate from the art.
“I hope it slows people down. Museums can become checklist experiences. We move from piece to piece, trying to consume everything. But art is not meant to be consumed that way. It is meant to be encountered. If someone leaves this experience, and the next time they come to the museum, they spend twenty minutes with one piece instead of five minutes with ten pieces, then we did something meaningful.
I hope it reminds people that they are not separate from the art. Their emotions, their memories, and their bodies are part of the experience. Once you realize that, every exhibition becomes more personal. I hope they feel seen. I hope they feel a little less alone in whatever they carry into the space. And I hope for a moment, they experience what it feels like to belong inside their own body while standing in front of something beautiful.”
Meditations on Me
- 6-7 p.m. February 19. Free.
- Hunter Museum of American Art, 10 Bluff View Ave.
- huntermuseum.org