louis armstrong center
Here to Stay
“Kevin became deeply familiar with our archival holdings, listened to our values and needs, and came up with innovative ideas and common sense solutions. Kevin was a critical factor in helping us produce an exhibit we love and that our audience raves about.”
Regina Bain, Executive Director
Louis Armstrong House Museum
How do you bring complexity to the story of a mythic, yet often misunderstood, cultural figure?
For the inaugural permanent exhibit in a new visitor center, we wanted to create an environment that reflects the joyfulness of Armstrong’s music juxtaposed with the darker facets of his lived experience.
The museum consisted solely of Louis and Lucille’s home, and a visitor center was needed to accommodate people waiting for a tour. Using the implied record and trumpet bell reference of the museum’s Milton Glaser-designed logo as a motif, we designed round cases and displays, as well as a record-shaped interactive multimedia table filled with images, videos, and artifacts that give visitors a true taste of Armstrong’s storied career and deep humanity. Most important was to display museum’s rich collection and voluminous archives, which had been hidden away in storage for decades.
Working with the exhibit’s curator (MacArthur Award-winning jazz artist, Jason Moran), we selected objects and images for the cases and media elements that tell the story of his life in a way that evoked the musicality of his spirit.
press
New York Times, August 3, 2023
Year
2023
services performed
exhibition design
