“I hope that this work helps people experience blackness in a way that is not traumatic, that is peaceful, affirming. I hope for collectors of color that they find some moment of peace and healing in this black existence through what these artists have shared to heal.”

— Kirsten Magwood

“Artists ask questions, and it’s that open-endedness that leads to design thinking, repositioning settled history as open possibility.”

— Marc Bamuthi Joseph

About Marc Bamuthi Joseph & Kirsten Magwood

Marc Bamuthi Joseph is a spoken-word poet, dancer, playwright, musician, and actor who frequently directs stand-alone hip-hop theater plays. When Joseph was 10 years old, he made his Broadway debut as Savion Glover’s tap dancing understudy in the musical, The Tap Dance Kid.

By age 12, he had appeared on television and toured nationally with the production. Joseph attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA, where he was involved in the spoken word movement with classmate, Saul Williams. After graduating from Morehouse College in 1997, he was hired by The Branson School to teach English and dance.

Joseph is a 2017 TED Global Fellow, an inaugural recipient of the Guggenheim Social Practice initiative, and an honoree of the United States Artists Rockefeller Fellowship. He is also the artistic director of The Living Word Project, a theater company dedicated to the creation of new works for the stage. Joseph is considered one of America’s vital voices in performance, arts education, and artistic curation. He is currently the director of performing arts for San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.

Kirsten Magwood is a seasoned producer and branded marketing expert with over 15 years in content creation, merging television and digital broadcast. Her roles as a shooter, director, writer, and editor allow her to guide creative teams seamlessly, translating technical needs into innovative results. This versatility ensures she maintains quality and budget controls.

A graduate of Spelman College with a BA in History, Kirsten studied film at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. She gained industry knowledge working as a music video PA and interned for prominent figures like Jonathan Demme. During her Music Business MA at NYU, Kirsten secured a position at MTV Networks. Within three years, she became a senior producer for notable shows like The Source All Access and Weekend Vibe, excelling in branded content by integrating sponsors into engaging, culturally relevant content.

Kirsten founded P.O.P. Media to offer her expertise to a diverse clientele. She has worked with high-profile individuals and brands, including Russell Simmons, Kanye West, Complex and Vibe magazines, Viacom, and Macy’s. Currently, Kirsten is venturing into documentary production and social impact, with projects at The Smithsonian Institution and two docu-series in the pipeline.

Key Takeaways

• Understanding Art as Healing: Both artists emphasize the transformative power of art, focusing on joy, healing, and the affirmation of black dignity.
• The Creative Process: Marc Bamuthi Joseph shares insights into his writing process, including the importance of intuition and the questions posed within his works. Kirsten Magwood discusses the beauty found in mistakes and the importance of the human touch in art.
• The Intersection of Art and NFTs: The guests explore how NFTs are not only shaping the art world but also offering unique opportunities for time-based artists. They discuss their collaboration involving physical and digital art, blending technology with tradition.
• Value and Creativity: Marc Bamuthi Joseph’s advice to his younger self revolves around recognizing work as an asset, while Kirsten Magwood emphasizes the importance of enjoying the process of creation.
• Art as a Movement: Kirsten Magwood describes their project as more than just a moment, but a movement that connects communities through art both in real life and the digital metaverse.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, iHeart, PlayerFM, Podchaser, Boomplay, Tune-In, Podbean, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.

The transcript of this episode can be found here. 

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Show Notes

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• Source: https://rare.makersplace.com/2023/08/11/e16-marc-bamuthi-joseph-kirsten-magwood-black-dignity-future-classics-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=e16-marc-bamuthi-joseph-kirsten-magwood-black-dignity-future-classics-2