Acknowledgements

from jennifer zwilling and elizabeth essner

Standing together with our community at the exhibition opening surrounded by tremendous artwork in a beautiful new gallery with the people who made this project possible was a moment to remember. Making Place Matter was conceived in 2017 when we as an organization chose this neighborhood, South Kensington, and began two projects to deepen our relationship with the community. What we learned from those first projects, Clay & Conversations and Maker Days, led us to shape Making Place Matter. Together with three artists—Kukuli Velarde, Ibrahim Said, and Molly Hatch—and a Council made up of neighbors and community members, we embarked on a process as we learned together. This publication stands as a testament to this new way of exhibition building and the art that is its result.

Getting to this moment of publication took a little longer than expected, but that has given us the gift of time—to talk, think, and to know each other as a group of staff, artists, and Council. The three artists who agreed to go on this journey with us—Velarde, Hatch, and Said—each have strong ties to The Clay Studio, each address place and cultural identity in their work, and each have a strong desire to engage with community. We extend enormous gratitude for allowing us all to join you on the journey as you bravely took risks making new bodies of work.

This project would not have been possible without the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage. With their foundational support, we have been able to honor the work of the artists, the time of the Council as they offered feedback, and partnership of organizations like Tiny WPA. Pew offered much more than just financial support; Director of Exhibitions and Public Interpretation, Kelly Shindler and her team have been invaluable thinking partners over the past five years.

It is a privilege to work with our incredibly intelligent, generous, hard working colleagues at The Clay Studio. Jennifer Martin inspires us every day by leading with integrity, unwavering hard work, and respect. Josie Bockelman, who came to my desk in 2017 and said, “Let’s work together with education and exhibitions to ask our new neighbors to welcome us”—is an incredible partner and the heart of The Clay Studio staff. Her foresight and attention to radical hospitality keep The Clay Studio strongly focused on service to artists and community.

Raymond Rorke, Communications Designer, has been a thinking partner and heroic in skillfully designing every piece of signage, email, web, and printed material. An extra special thank you is due to Raymond for his stunning design and coordination of this book. This physical record of the exhibition is key to continuing this important work.

María Albornoz, the Exhibition Community Organizer (as well as a teaching artist and an excellent potter) was rightly praised by our Council for the effective and graceful way she made sure it was easy for Council members to keep up with meetings and events.

Ana Gabriela Jiménez, our dear Exhibition Coordinator, kept our team on track even after she went on to work at the University of Pennsylvania. Her translation skills are a part of this volume, and her contributions have continued as a Council member. Also in this publication are the thoughtful Arabic translations of Shimaa Eid, who has also helped us connect with the Arabic community of Philadelphia.

The Council—these amazing people stuck with us for two years, through the pandemic, to help us, to listen and to speak. They have become an integral part of our The Clay Studio family. We have begun the journey of building trust with the community, and we will continue that important work into the future. Formation of the Council would not have been without Tim Gibbon and Farrah Rahaman.

Director of Development Tracy Segal and Development Manager Theresa De Angelis deserve deep thanks for their grantwriting prowess and event planning magic. Operations and Business Manager Charity Thackston has kept us supremely organized and Retail Manager and Gallery Coordinator Naimah Stith has lent her expertise and positivity.

The Clay Studio staff has demonstrated their dedication to our mission at every turn, taking on the hard work bringing a vision as big as this one -a new building and a new curatorial model-to life.

The Board’s enthusiastic support has been integral to the project’s success. Everyone brought extraordinary grace, determination, and deep respect for each other, always in service of the mission of this organization: to serve artists and community in clay.

From those first projects five years ago to today we have learned tremendously. Making Place Matter embodies a new curatorial framework that will guide our path forward. Curating with a single voice does not reflect our mission or our commitment to diversity and equity, nor does it allow us to reach the heights of excellence that come with the resources of many perspectives.

—Jennifer Zwilling and Elizabeth Essner

Elizabeth Essner joined us in 2019 to help shape our general ideas into scholarly, insightful text that unified the project. I could not have asked for a more intelligent, generous co-curator. It is not often that one finds a person who is a truly excellent partner. We share a mutual trust and genuine desire for each other to reach our highest potential. I am deeply grateful.

— JZ

I want to thank Jennifer Zwilling for inviting me to be a part of this paradigm shifting project. She leads with both tremendous vision and tremendous care. Thank you Jennifer, for being the best possible co-curator, collaborator, thinking partner and wonderful human being.
It has been an honor to work with and learn from you.

— EE