Cornelia Stokes is taking on a historic curatorial role at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) and the Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD), bridging two vastly different institutions in her quest to develop new scholarship and push boundaries. In this unique position, Stokes aims to forge a connection between research, programming, and public discourse across two distinct ecosystems.
Stokes' fascination with the role was instant, drawn by its intentionality and collaborative spirit. She envisioned herself as a connective tissue, building frameworks that support long-term curatorial thinking, scholarship, and public engagement for both institutions. Her approach is centered around sharing influence, knowledge, and resources without flattening cultural differences.
As someone who comes from the independent curatorial practice Emblazon Arts LLC, Stokes brings expertise in curation, programming, and collection-building. She has honed her skills by working with artists and institutions on exhibitions, public programs, and archival projects, often with limited resources but expansive vision.
Stokes' experience as a research assistant for Amy Sherald reinforced the importance of rigorous research, compassion, and patience in artistic practice. She is now applying these principles to her new role, particularly in diversifying SFMOMA's collection by rethinking frameworks of value, ownership, and art-historical narratives.
Over the next three years, Stokes aims to leave a lasting impact through collaborative exhibitions, published scholarship, and public programs that reflect the complexity and breadth of the African Diaspora. She defines success by expanding possibilities for institutions, artists, and audiences, ensuring her tenure leaves a meaningful legacy beyond her own work.
Stokes' fascination with the role was instant, drawn by its intentionality and collaborative spirit. She envisioned herself as a connective tissue, building frameworks that support long-term curatorial thinking, scholarship, and public engagement for both institutions. Her approach is centered around sharing influence, knowledge, and resources without flattening cultural differences.
As someone who comes from the independent curatorial practice Emblazon Arts LLC, Stokes brings expertise in curation, programming, and collection-building. She has honed her skills by working with artists and institutions on exhibitions, public programs, and archival projects, often with limited resources but expansive vision.
Stokes' experience as a research assistant for Amy Sherald reinforced the importance of rigorous research, compassion, and patience in artistic practice. She is now applying these principles to her new role, particularly in diversifying SFMOMA's collection by rethinking frameworks of value, ownership, and art-historical narratives.
Over the next three years, Stokes aims to leave a lasting impact through collaborative exhibitions, published scholarship, and public programs that reflect the complexity and breadth of the African Diaspora. She defines success by expanding possibilities for institutions, artists, and audiences, ensuring her tenure leaves a meaningful legacy beyond her own work.
! I mean, can you imagine two museums coming together like that? SFMOMA and MoAD are basically two different worlds, but Stokes is all about bridging the gap 
. She's like a connective tissue, bringing people and ideas together. Her approach is so cool – she wants to share influence and knowledge without flattening cultural differences 
. I love that she's got experience working with artists and limited resources, it shows she's down-to-earth and can make magic happen 
. And her focus on diversifying SFMOMA's collection? Total game-changer for the art world 
. Can't wait to see what she comes up with in the next three years 
!
I'm loving this new direction SFMOMA and MoAD are taking with Cornelia Stokes at the helm 
. It's about time we see more collaboration between these two iconic institutions – it's like they're finally getting on the same page 
. What I think is really cool is how she's looking to disrupt traditional museum practices by sharing knowledge, resources, and influence without sacrificing cultural sensitivity 
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. Now, it'll be interesting to see how she applies that expertise to these two institutions – I'm excited to see what kind of exhibitions, programs, and scholarship come out of this new role 
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. With Stokes' background in research and her passion for pushing boundaries, I think we're on the cusp of something really special here 
It's like, they're matching up two different vibes and seeing what magic happens 
Cornelia Stokes is low-key a genius for spotting this opportunity and running with it 
. Can't wait to see what she has in store for us over the next three years! 
. I mean, come on, who still uses that clunky old CMS? It's like they're intentionally trying to make it hard for me to navigate their online presence 
. And don't even get me started on the mobile optimization... *sigh*. Anyway, back to Cornelia Stokes – sounds like an amazing curator! 
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. as someone who's worked with artists and indie curatorial projects, i know how hard it can be to make that happen 
. but stokes brings this super important expertise and passion to sfoma and moad, and i'm excited to see what she creates 
I mean, can you believe it? A curator taking on two museums at once! That's like, totally crazy, but in a good way 
. I'm all about innovation and pushing boundaries, just like Cornelia Stokes. She sounds like a total rockstar to me 
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. And it's awesome that she's applying those principles to think about the value and ownership of art in new ways – that's some heavy stuff 
. I'm rooting for her to make some real impact over the next three years