Inner Worlds – Thelma Golden By Rodney Passé

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For several decades, American curator Thelma Golden has redefined what a museum can be. As director and chief curator of the Studio Museum in Harlem, she has expanded the possibilities for artists of African descent, reshaping how Black culture is represented in contemporary art. In this episode of Inner Worlds, directed by Emerald Pictures director Rodney Passé, Golden invites Art Basel to the Museum’s newly reopened, purpose-built home – reflecting on a space that fulfills the ambition imagined by its founders in 1968.

On making the film, Rodney says: “I wanted to approach this film like a jazz session grounded in a non-linear exploration of time and place, and punctuated by fragments of archival material. The story of the Studio Museum in Harlem’s historic reopening is captured rhythmically and spiritually, honoring both the building’s architectural design and the community at the core of its existence. Thelma and Darnell’s conversation delves into the vision for this new space, connecting it back to the mission imagined by the Museum’s founders while emphasizing the people and milestones that have set the stage for this new chapter.”