Chrysler Museum of Art and Norfolk State University Present “Define Yourself!”

NORFOLK, Va., January 14, 2026 – The Chrysler Museum of Art is proud to announce that “Define Yourself!” will open at Norfolk State University’s James Wise Gallery on Thursday, January 29, 2026. This marks the third stop for this exhibition, developed as part of the Chrysler Museum’s leadership in the Atlantic Coast Cohort, a project funded through The Art Bridges Cohort Program, which works with museums nationwide to expand access to American art through multiphase, collection-sharing partnerships.

The Atlantic Coast Cohort networks with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the mid-Atlantic region, including the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, Maryland; Elizabeth City State University in Elizabeth City, North Carolina; and Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Virginia. Led by the Chrysler Museum’s McKinnon Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Chelsea Pierce, and Art Bridges Curatorial Fellow Nyree Dowdy, the program brings the Chrysler Museum’s renowned collection to three campuses in a series of collaboratively conceived exhibitions and associated programming.

“We are honored to partner with HBCUs through the Atlantic Coast Cohort, an initiative that reflects the Chrysler Museum’s commitment to expanding access to art and fostering meaningful dialogue in diverse communities,” said Erik Neil, the Chrysler Museum’s Macon and Joan Brock Director. “This collaboration brings our collection to new audiences, creating opportunities for learning and discovery, enriching both the campuses and our institution. We are grateful to the Art Bridges Foundation for their support in making this partnership possible.”

“Define Yourself!” draws inspiration from James Baldwin’s book, The Fire Next Time (1963), taking its title from Baldwin’s warning to the Black community that those who do not define themselves are at risk of being defined by others. The exhibition grapples with themes of self-identification and external perceptions, encouraging viewers to reflect on the ways Black identity is shaped and understood.

Featuring 15 objects from the Chrysler Museum’s collection alongside didactic material, the exhibition reflects collaborative discussions with students and faculty. More than fifty years since the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibition “Harlem on My Mind: The Cultural Capital of Black America, 1900–1968” (1969) and thirty years after the Whitney Museum of American Art organized “Black Male: Representations of Masculinity in Contemporary American Art,” curated by the institution’s first Black curator Thelma Golden, dialogues on how Black subjects are depicted in art and mass media remain just as pertinent today. In selecting a topic with such a long institutional history and discourse, this exhibition builds upon previous narratives while creating space for new ones.

“Define Yourself!” aims to increase visual literacy skills by fostering a deeper understanding of image-making and the power of representation. In opening this critical evaluation to students and faculty through label writing, student-led tours, and on-campus responses, the exhibition and its associated programming prioritize a meaningful dialogue amongst Black stakeholders in a setting conducive to generating impactful conversations.

On behalf of NSU Solomon Isekeije, Professor and Program Coordinator, Division of Fine Arts, and Victoria Jensen, Manager of the James Wise Gallery, gave the following joint statement: “The James Wise Gallery at Norfolk State University is where teaching, artistic practice, and community engagement meet. Thanks to this partnership with the Chrysler Museum on ‘Define Yourself!’, the gallery is expanding its role as a space for innovation, mentorship, and creative exploration. At the heart of this collaboration is a response exhibition, giving students and faculty a unique opportunity to engage with the exhibition’s themes and create original works that reflect their voices. Through this process, students gain hands-on experience, develop their skills, and build confidence as emerging artists, while participating in a collective artistic dialogue that reinforces the gallery’s commitment to nurturing talent and empowering students to define themselves within a broader cultural landscape.”

“Define Yourself!” opens at the James Wise Gallery, January 29, 2026, with an opening reception on that evening from 5–7 p.m. It will remain on view through April 10, 2026. Following its three-stop tour across HBCU campuses, “Define Yourself!” will be on view at the Chrysler Museum of Art from November 6, 2026, to February 21, 2027, in the Frank Photography Gallery.

ABOUT NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY

Norfolk State University, a comprehensive urban public institution, is committed to transforming students’ lives through exemplary teaching, research and service. Offering a supportive academic environment for all, the University empowers its students to turn their aspirations into reality and achieve their full potential as well-rounded and resourceful citizens and leaders for the 21st century.         

ABOUT THE CHRYSLER MUSEUM OF ART

The Chrysler Museum of Art brings art and people together through experiences that delight, inform, and inspire. Internationally recognized for its collection of more than 35,000 objects, including one the largest glass collections in America, the Museum also includes free admission, the state-of-the-art Perry Glass Studio, a full-service restaurant, shop, theater, works on paper space, and oversees the historic Myers House. The Museum boasts an ambitious schedule of exhibitions, events, and programs, and has been nationally recognized for its commitment to inclusion through its innovative gallery host program. For more information, visit chrysler.org. Follow on social media @ChryslerMuseum to receive the latest updates.

ABOUT ART BRIDGES

Art Bridges Foundation is the vision of philanthropist and arts patron Alice Walton. Since 2017, Art Bridges has created and supported projects that bring outstanding works of American art out of storage and into communities across the United States and its territories. Art Bridges partners with a growing network of more than 240 museums of all sizes on nearly 900 projects—impacting 5.3 million people nationwide—to provide financial and strategic support for exhibitions, collection loans, and programs designed to educate, inspire, and deepen engagement with local communities. The Art Bridges Collection represents an expanding vision of American art from the 19th century to present day and encompasses multiple media and voices. For more information, visit artbridgesfoundation.org.

ABOUT THE ART BRIDGES COHORT PROGRAM

The Art Bridges Cohort Program supports multiyear, collection-sharing partnerships where museums from across the United States work together to generate exhibition projects. Comprised of a lead museum and institutional members, cohorts prioritize creating art access and experiences, community engagement, institutional capacity, and relationship building. The Cohort Program provides communities with engaging presentations of American art through the deep collaboration and robust collection sharing of all its members. Projects are determined by each cohort and therefore take on many forms; however, they are all united in their spirit and approach with museum partners innovating new ways of working together to share American art that transcends geographic and institutional boundaries.

To learn more about the Art Bridges Cohort Program, visit artbridgesfoundation.org/cohort.

####

For more information or interview assistance, please contact Tanya Kaish Keller, Public Relations Advisor, 757-618-3655 | mejanepr@gmail.com

High-resolution images and credits are available. Permission and credit are required for the use of all images, print or digital. Cropping may not be permitted on some images; see caption sheet if applicable.