The Art of Transformation: Black Spirituality, Self-Expression, and Identity

Join us for a powerful dialogue and communal reflection honoring the confluence of transformation and religious practices as avenues for self-expression and identity. Fabiola Jean-Louis, along with leading scholars and faith leaders Reverend Irene Monroe, Elena Herminia Guzman, and Dr. Brandon Crowley, join Rebeca L. Hey-Colón for a conversation exploring the intersections of non-binary and queer cultures, Afro-Diasporic religions and spirituality, and the gender fluidity of the mythical, legendary, and folkloric beings that form a part of these traditions.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Fabiola Jean-Louis on the Art of Black Liberation

Fabiola Jean-Louis transforms paper into profoundly spiritual sculptures that connect ancestral and living realms and reclaim African spirituality as the root of Black freedom. Join Fabiola Jean-Louis and Gardner Museum Luminary <a href="https://www.gardnermuseum.org/arielle-gray">Arielle Gray</a> as they discuss art that bridges past and present, Jean-Louis’s creative journeys and processes, and how her artwork engages with colonial histories and African diasporas in the Caribbean and beyond. Jean-Louis will share how she uses imagination to create remarkable works of art that draw on a wide range of folkloric, literary, mythical, and historic references from Vodou traditions and spirituality to the powerful history of the Haitian Revolution that continues to resonate in legacies of Black liberation.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum 

Mickalene Thomas: Sandra, She's a Beauty, 2009 (public art)

On the Anne H. Fitzpatrick Façade this fall from October 1, 2024 – February 17, 2025, the photo collage of a mother, crafted by her daughter, welcomes visitors to the Gardner Museum. Clothed in regal red, Sandra Bush, mother of multidisciplinary artist Mickalene Thomas, both recalls and rejects the dominant canon of Western portraiture with a radiant smile. An artist whose work aims to embolden, Thomas began to photograph Sandra while she was still a student at Yale. This lightning rod moment gave birth to numerous paintings, collage works, and photographs that serve as a daughter’s homage, aspirational mirror, and practice through which to examine the power of self-possessed beauty.  For the Gardner Façade, a public art space for the enjoyment of all, Mickalene Thomas reimagines a photographic collage of Sandra from 2009 in relation to Édouard Manet’s renowned portrait of his own mother in the Gardner’s collection. In doing so, Thomas simultaneously immortalizes her first muse and interrogates the nature of how Black women are represented across historical art and contemporary culture. Image: Mickalene Thomas, Sandra, She's a Beauty, 2009. Artist rendering (detail) © Mickalene Thomas

Manet: A Model Family 

Every artist has their muses. For Édouard Manet (1832–1883), one of those muses was family. But the home life of the French painter was complicated, even by today’s standards. Manet: A Model Family, on view in the Hostetter Gallery from October 10, 2024 – January 20, 2025, explores how despite complexities between relatives, the Manet family lived happily—from a wife who had once been in the household’s employ to a child of questionable paternity to a mother who disinherited Édouard’s surviving kin. They were also the artist’s most frequent models, a crucial source of financial and emotional support, as well as creative inspiration. Immortalized in groundbreaking bold brushstrokes, Édouard Manet's loved ones enriched his life and his art. After his death, they cultivated his legacy and ensured that his work would never be forgotten.&nbsp; Now, nearly 150 years since his passing, Manet: A Model Family at the Gardner Museum is the first exhibition to explore Manet through the lens of the complex familial relationships between and amongst the artist and his sitters, shedding new light on the life and masterpieces of the “father of modernism.” Image: Édouard Manet (French, 1832–1883), Madame Auguste Manet, about 1866. Oil on canvas. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service

Engage with and honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King, celebrating their lessons, creativity, and imagination with storytelling, impactful conversation, soundscapes and art-marking! On this free general admission day, artists and thought leaders will share reflections on social justice, equity, and empowerment.

Paris in Ruins: Love, War, and the Birth of Impressionism

Join us for a conversation with Sebastian Smee, author and Pulitzer Prize–winning art critic at the Washington Post, along with Diana Seave Greenwald, curator of Manet: A Model Family and the Gardner’s William and Lia Poorvu Curator of the Collection, on the relationships, events, and culture that influenced painter Édouard Manet. A book signing of Smee's recent title Paris in Ruins, which can be purchased at Gift at the Gardner, will follow.

Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell Film Screening

Watch Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell (2016), a film that follows Erin Blackwell, one of the most memorable subjects of <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088196/">Streetwise</a> (1984), a groundbreaking documentary on homeless and runaway teenagers in Seattle, Washington. In Streetwise, by filmmaker Martin Bell, photographer Mary Ellen Mark, and journalist Cheryl McCall, Erin Blackwell, a.k.a. Tiny, is introduced as a 14-year-old living precariously on the margins of society. Now a 44-year-old mother of 10, Blackwell reflects with Mary Ellen Mark on the journey they’ve experienced together—from Blackwell's struggles with addiction to her dreams for her children, even as she sees them being pulled down the same path of drugs and desperation.  Pieranna Cavalchini, Tom and Lisa Blumenthal Curator of Contemporary Art at the Gardner, will introduce the film and give insight to the exhibition <a href="https://www.gardnermuseum.org/calendar/mary-ellen-mark-seattle-family">Mary Ellen Mark: A Seattle Family, 1983-2014</a>.  The runtime of this film is 88 minutes.  Image: Mary Ellen Mark, Tiny in her Halloween costume, Seattle, 1983. Gelatin silver print, 40.64 cm x 50.8 cm (16 x 20 in.) © Mary Ellen Mark, Courtesy of The Mary Ellen Mark Foundation/Howard Greenberg Gallery

Watch&nbsp;Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell&nbsp;(2016), a film that follows Erin Blackwell, one of the most memorable subjects of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088196/">Streetwise</a>&nbsp;(1984), a groundbreaking documentary on homeless and runaway teenagers in Seattle, Washington. In Streetwise, by filmmaker Martin Bell, photographer Mary Ellen Mark, and journalist Cheryl McCall, Erin Blackwell, a.k.a. Tiny, is introduced as a 14-year-old living precariously on the margins of society. Now a 44-year-old mother of 10, Blackwell reflects with Mary Ellen Mark on the journey they’ve experienced together—from Blackwell's struggles with addiction to her dreams for her children, even as she sees them being pulled down the same path of drugs and desperation.&nbsp; Pieranna Cavalchini,&nbsp;Tom and Lisa Blumenthal Curator of Contemporary Art&nbsp;at the Gardner, will introduce the film and give insight to the exhibition&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gardnermuseum.org/calendar/mary-ellen-mark-seattle-family">Mary Ellen Mark: A Seattle Family, 1983-2014</a>.&nbsp; The runtime of this film is 88 minutes.&nbsp; Image: Mary Ellen Mark, Tiny in her Halloween costume, Seattle, 1983. Gelatin silver print, 40.64 cm x 50.8 cm (16 x 20 in.) © Mary Ellen Mark, Courtesy of The Mary Ellen Mark Foundation/Howard Greenberg Gallery

Hakeem Adewumi: Possession of A Recalcitrant Dream, 2024

This summer, the digital photo collage that graces the Anne H. Fitzpatrick Façade presents artist Hakeem Adewumi (he/him), part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gardnermuseum.org/experience/contemporary-art/artists" target="_blank">Artists-in-Residence</a>&nbsp;program, posing with tenderness and obscurity. By replacing his head with a mythical Hydra, Adewumi asks us to immediately contend with a blend of fantasy and desire. Here, Adewumi refuses to be seen as a singular being, and presents an invitation to linger deeper in the power of the unknown. This public installation serves as a mirror for visitors to contend with the hidden parts of themselves reflected through the artist’s self portrait.

The Larger Landscape Conversation: Monumental Moves

Join us for a stimulating conversation on some of the most pressing issues in contemporary urban landscape, encompassing design, civic engagement, and public art. This evening’s conversation will explore the role of monuments, commemoration, and collective memory, a recent topic of social debate. In cities across the country and around the world, social protests have focused attention on the status of these public political acts of authorization. They have demanded political accountability and, in some contexts, taken direct action to redress the presence of anachronistic, offensive, and exclusionary forms of public commemoration. Leading voices, designers, and changemakers Jha D. Amazi of MASS Design Group, Signe Nielsen of NYC Design Commission + Mathews Nielsen, and Sue Mobley of Monument Lab share their first-hand experiences in Boston, New York, and New Orleans witnessing the shift in favor for a more relevant, plural, and inclusionary approach to commemorating collective memory.&nbsp;

On Christopher Street: Transgender Portraits by Mark Seliger

From Greenwich Village in the heart of New York, renowned portrait photographer Mark Seliger (he/him) developed trust with trans sitters to capture the spirit of Christopher Street between 2013 and 2016. During these three years, Seliger set his lens “on Christopher Street” to celebrate transgender individuals, share their stories with the world, and capture the spirit of the New York City neighborhood significant to their life journeys.&nbsp; &nbsp; Image: Mark Seliger, D’Jamel Young and Leiomy Maldonado, 2015. Gelatin silver print, 91.4 x 91.4 cm (36 x 36 in.) Collection of the artist © 2020, all rights reserved Mark Seliger

Portraits From Boston, With Love 

Portraits From Boston, With Love will feature photo portraits by three photographers who call the Boston-area home. Their gender expansive experiences provide us with a unique lens through which to see them, their chosen family, and their communities. Olivia Slaughter (she/they), a Gardner Museum Artist-in-Residence in January 2024, has created portraits of their chosen family during their residency; Jaypix Belmer’s (Jaypix) self-portraits provide an example to others to let their true and best self shine through (as represented with gold); and Ally Schmaling (they/them) has created a psychedelic love letter using color and light for those who inspire them and whom they admire within their chosen family and community. Image: Ally Schmaling, Kirbie, 2024. Inkjet print on mold-made watercolor paper, 49.5 x 33 cm (19 1/2 x 13 in.) Collection of the artist © 2024, all rights reserved Ally Schmaling

Party on our Block!: August Free First Thursday 

In honor of the legacies of queer communities here in the city of Boston, come enjoy a night of theater-making, dancing, music, and other activities during a summer block party hosted by the Gardner Museum and The Theater Offensive!

Free Day: Juneteenth 

Honor the legacy of queer futures, histories, leadership, and stories with art-making, film screenings, impactful conversation, rest and art! The Gardner will honor Juneteenth, the oldest nationally recognized commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, with a free day of performances, conversations, and activities that celebrate community and freedom with Boston-based Black artists and leaders. Programs this year honor intersections with queer liberation and queer futures, co-curated by the Gardner’s Community Partner,&nbsp;<a href="https://thetheateroffensive.org/" target="_blank">The Theater Offensive</a>.

Beyond the Lens: Queer, Nonbinary, and Trans Liberation, Resistance, and Community 

Photographs in the Gardner Museum’s summer exhibitions center and celebrate queer, non-binary and trans people in New York and Boston and the neighborhoods they call home. Join us on the evening of the public exhibition opening for a conversation with exhibiting artists Mark Seliger, Olivia Slaughter, Jaypix Belmer, Ally Schmaling, and Hakeem Adewumi, moderated by Giselle Byrd, Executive Director of&nbsp;<a href="https://thetheateroffensive.org/" target="_blank">The Theater Offensive</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp; Hear artists share more about their work and creative practices, exploring stories of people on either side of the camera. Artists on this panel will discuss how they take photographs authentically and with humanity, resisting fetishization, and using photography as a tool to amplify queer, nonbinary, and trans visibility, beauty, survival, resistance, and community.

S22: conversations

Wondering what to do in Boston? Places to eat? Free activities? Good for a group? Date night spot? Girls night out? The best things to do? Ask Joyraft!

Best places to go in Boston? Things to do? Places to eat?

Questions & answers about things to do in Boston

Recs 💬

Community recs 💬

S4: top picks

The most fun, cool and unique things to do in Boston. Can’t miss events, shows and experiences. Concerts, restaurants, bars, free things in Boston and beyond.

The most fun and cool events happening around Boston

Hot and new things to do in Boston

Hot & new

Hot & new 🔥

S11: happening this weekend

What to do in Boston this weekend? From festivals, concerts, performances, free events, screenings and more, Joyraft has the best things to do in Boston.

25+ things to do in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville this weekend

Things to do in Boston this weekend

This wknd

This weekend for you

S21: roundups

Our top picks: outdoor dining, free events, spring festivals, best bars, upcoming concerts, museum parties - the latest in and around Boston.  Slug: joyraft-top-picks-best-things-to-do-boston-ma

Top picks of the best things to do in and around Boston

Joyraft picks: Boston’s best things to do

Roundups ⭐️

Curated by Joyraft ⭐️

S28: calendar experiences

This week in Boston

This week in Boston 📆

This week 📆

S20: c+d experiences

Discover new, unique events and experiences happening in and around Boston. Perfect for date night, good for a group or with a friend. Be the first to know.

The newest events happening in and around Boston

The newest events on Joyraft

Just added

Just added to Joyraft

S16: editor picks

The most unique and can’t miss things coming up in Boston / Cambridge / Somerville and beyond. Festivals, food, drinks, fairs, concerts, art and free activities.

Unique and Can’t Miss Things to Do in Boston

Can’t-miss things to do in Boston 🚨

Can't-miss things to do 🚨

S2 (A): top experiences

The most popular things to do on Joyraft. Concerts, restaurants, bars, events, parties, openings, kid friendly, date ideas, free things in Boston and beyond.

Top 20 things to do in Boston

Top 20: Joyraft’s most popular

Top 20

Top 20 on Joyraft

S3 (A): trending experiences

Discover can’t miss events and things to do in Boston. The most fun, unique and cool events coming to the Boston area this spring and summer.

The hottest events happening in Boston

Trending events on Joyraft

Trending 📈

S17: interest based

Your guide to everything free in and around Boston. From events, to fairs, to festivals, to outdoors. Joyraft has all the free events happening near you.

100+ free things to do in Boston and beyond

Free things to do in Boston

Free things to do

S19: interest based

Discover kid-friendly fun in Boston, Massachusetts, and surrounding areas! Enjoy hands-on exhibits at the Boston Children’s Museum, explore the New England Aquarium, and visit the Franklin Park Zoo. Find parks, playgrounds, and seasonal events perfect for families across Massachusetts.

Top 20 kid-friendly things to do in Boston, MA

Kid-friendly things to do in Boston

Kid-friendly events

S18: interest based

Where to eat and drink in Boston? Joyraft has Boston’s newest bars, restaurants and specials. Drinks and pre fixe dinner menus. Cambridge & Somerville too.