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Anya Wallace: Artist, Scholar, Curator

Introduction to Dr. Anya Wallace. 1:14 min. Interview: Raymond Elman. Post-Production: Lee Skye. Music: Carmen Cicero. Recorded via Zoom. 3/28/2023, Miami + Boston.

ANYA WALLACE is a visual artist, scholar, and community educator. Her artwork and scholarship are shaped by a desire to narrate the lessons and pleasures existent in Black Girlhood.

Born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, she learned artistic practice and listening by way of her Mother, Father, Grandparents, and Big-family antics. She is the daughter of Ceramicists, Architects, Contractors, Designers, and Cooks. She cites an upbringing in the Tropics, amidst the orange groves, mango groves, avocado groves, and more through gifts she deems as photographic taste, rhythm, dance, and prose.

Wallace holds a doctorate in Art Education and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Penn State University. And studied photographic critical theory and craft at the Savannah College of Art and Design. She is currently the Florence Levy Kay Postdoctoral Fellow in Black Feminist Studies at Brandeis University. Her artwork, curated installations, and education research have been exhibited at MOCA NoMI (Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami, FL), Space Mountain Gallery (Miami, FL), the Borland Project Space (University Park, PA), the Robeson Gallery (University Park, PA), the Art Alliance (State College, PA), the Palmer Museum of Art (University Park, PA), and the Whitney Museum of American Art (NYC).

In the Spring of 2023, Wallace curated “Genius Species,” a group exhibition on Black feminist thought. “Genius Species” is on view at The Arts & Recreation Center (The ARC) in Opa-locka, FL from March 25 through May 31, 2023. “Genius Species” seeks to create a genus of Human genius and to celebrate the effects of the Black Woman’s planetary existence. Influenced by scholars such as Evelyn Hammonds, Toni Morrison and popular icons as Aretha Franklin and Nicki Minaj, Genius Species investigates the cultural, political, social, sexual currency that is Black Womanhood and Girlhood, and the ripple effects of its lived experience(s) across both time and space.

The videos below were recorded via Zoom, are organized by Success Factor, and run between 30 seconds and 11 minutes. Click on any video. You must be connected to the Internet to view the videos.

CRITICAL THINKING: 1:10 min.

You hesitated when calling yourself “Dr. Anya Wallace,” even though you have earned the title, which calls to mind the debate over Jill Biden using her title.

SERENDIPITY: 1:17 min.

Where did you grow up and what was your first awareness of art of any discipline?

EXPOSURE TO BROAD INFLUENCES: 0:36 sec.

Being from Fort Lauderdale, I am guessing that your are aware that the fabulous Bonnie Clearwater is the director of the NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale.

VALUES FIRST-RATE EDUCATION: 3:04 min.