People you should know

Introducing Robert Blackson

Robert Blackson, Temple Gallery’s new director of Exhibitions and Public Programs, was chosen to fill the position this past August. He is a resource to both students and the Philadelphia cultural community.  His vision is to bring local relevance and international significance to Temple Gallery’s creative programs. Blackson offers a new breath of innovation to the Temple Gallery. The Exhibitions and Public Programs department in the Tyler School of Art provides a visual context to inform and inspire public discussions of contemporary social concern. Through consistent collaboration with faculty members and departmental curricula the programming at the Exhibition and Public Programs will provide a visual and dialogical resources in the teaching of numerous disciplines. The gallery will offer a rotating schedule of exhibits, coupled with lectures, film screenings and community forums on topics ranging from HIV to sustainability. The Temple News sat down with Blackson to learn about his vision for the Temple Gallery, as well as North Philadelphia.

The Temple News: What do you do?

Robert Blackson: I am the director of Exhibitions and Public Programs at the Temple Gallery. This means that I get to organize what is going on each month at the Gallery and what programs we will have that outreach to the community.

TTN: How many pieces are displayed?

RB: The amount of displays depends on the week

and the program. We are doing programming around Halloween right now so there are coffee cups and vintage costumes decorating the space.

TTN: What is your vision for Tyler?

RB: The Tyler School of Art is a part of a variety of conversations mixed with the educational opportunities that we have here at Temple. The advisory council here at Temple and the greater Philadelphia community come together to discuss exhibitions, and then we vote on them. We bring a variety of different speakers to Philadelphia to speak at gallery exhibitions. My vision is to bring local relevance to Tyler.

TTN: What is your vision for North Philadelphia?

RB: My vision for North Philadelphia is to create an invested interest in art to the community. I would like Philadelphia to look at art from a much more holistic perspective.

TTN: How do you plan to achieve these goals?

RB: We are already achieving this goal. We are already exceeding numbers from last year. There is a necessity into Tyler School of Art clean water supply the American philosophical we are working with a lot of different places interested in what are doing.

Priscilla Ward can be reached at priscilla.ward@temple.edu.