Artist Talk: Russell Craig and Kimberli Gant, Brooklyn Museum

On the occasion of his monumental solo presentation Russell Craig: Carceral Views at The Armory Show 2025 with Clubhouse Gallery, artist Russell Craig joined Kimberli Gant, Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art at the Brooklyn Museum, for a conversation hosted by The Center for Art and Advocacy. Held during a special Mimosa Breakfast on September 6th in Hudson Yards, NYC, the intimate talk explored Craig’s practice as a formerly incarcerated artist, both where he has come from and where he is heading. Craig’s recent works transform objects once circulated in prison economies—ramen noodle packets, leather belts, chip bags—into layered portraits and textured surfaces that affirm dignity and human perseverance. The series connects to a lineage of politically engaged artists, from Gustave Courbet to Jack Whitten, while remaining rooted in Craig’s personal journey and commitment to advocacy through art. His work is held in numerous esteemed public and private collections, including the Brooklyn Museum and the Studio Museum in Harlem, among others.