{"id":200751,"date":"2026-04-17T14:46:42","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T14:46:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/200751\/"},"modified":"2026-04-17T14:46:42","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T14:46:42","slug":"bronx-museum-gala-2026-interview-with-shamim-momin-on-future-vision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/200751\/","title":{"rendered":"Bronx Museum Gala 2026: Interview With Shamim Momin on Future Vision"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AnThe highly anticipated $42.9 million renovation of the Bronx Museum of the Arts is set to be unveiled later in 2026. Courtesy Marvel<\/p>\n

Among the several museum renovation and expansion projects to be completed in New York this year, <\/a>the Bronx Museum is among the most highly anticipated. Announced in the summer of 2024 and set to be completed by the end of 2026, the renovation is overseen by the award-winning architecture and urban planning firm Marvel and has been supported by nearly $42.9 million in city funding, with additional support from the state. This investment confirms the role the museum has played in its community and the city\u2019s broader cultural scene since its founding in 1971 by a group of local community members rather than a single patron or private collection, which immediately set the tone for its long-standing mission to represent diverse and underrepresented voices.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, April 15, the museum hosted its annual 2026 Gala & Art Auction at Tribeca Rooftop, raising support to champion diverse contemporary artists and engage audiences in The Bronx and beyond.<\/p>\n

The gala honored contemporary artist Awol Erizku<\/a>\u2014who will present a forthcoming solo exhibition at the Bronx Museum of the Arts\u2014with the Artistic Visionary Award, presented by rapper FERG. Arts patron Lois Plehn<\/a> received the Cultural Ambassador Award, presented by Michael Mcginnis<\/a>, while KidSuper<\/a> founder Colm Dillane\u2014designer, artist and creative force behind KidSuper Studios\u2014was honored with the Innovator Award, presented by recording artist, actor and advocate Joey Bada$$.<\/p>\n

Other notable guests of the black-tie event spanned the entertainment industry and the art world, including Ella Emhoff<\/a>, Lois Plehn, Antwaun Sargent<\/a>, Derrick Adams<\/a>, Mickalene Thomas<\/a>, Jon Gray<\/a>, Hannah Traore<\/a>, Larry Ossei-Mensah<\/a>, Tyrell Hampton<\/a>, Valeri Larko<\/a>, Zoe Lukov<\/a>, Michael McGinnis, Gamaliel Rodriguez, Ann Craven<\/a>, Julien Granel<\/a>, and gallerists Sara Arno<\/a> and Tara Downs<\/a>. Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson<\/a> was also in attendance. The gala was hosted by co-chairs Danielle Falls<\/a> and Annie B. Taylor<\/a>, alongside artist Isaiah Davis<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ahead of the gala, Observer sat down with the newly appointed director and chief curator, Shamim M. Momin, to learn more about her vision for the institution as it moves into this next phase.<\/p>\n

\"A\"AShamim M. Momin. Quadir Moore\/BFA.com<\/p>\n

\u201cThe renovation underway will bring the facility and campus to a level that reflects the world-class exhibitions, programs and support we want to offer both our community and a broader audience, across the city and beyond,\u201d M. Momin tells Observer, emphasizing how, at the same time, she sees it as an opportunity to think about how to evolve and elaborate the museum\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n

She explains that the priorities are multiple, but all rooted in the museum\u2019s longstanding mission. \u201cThe museum already has its DNA, how it was founded on: unlike many museums, it wasn\u2019t established by a single patron, collection or funding source, but by people who felt the museum world wasn\u2019t representing the diverse voices they cared about,\u201d Momin says.<\/p>\n

With more than 25 years of experience across curatorial and leadership roles, M. Momin herself was drawn to accept this leadership position at the Bronx Museum because it embodies many of the values she has consistently supported. \u201cThat mission is, at its core, a deep commitment to community and participation,\u201d she says. \u201cI was not brought in to change the core of the institution, and I have no intention of doing so. The question is: how do we continue to represent voices that have historically been marginalized or excluded from dominant art historical and contemporary narratives?\u201d<\/p>\n

M. Momin points to the Bronx\u2019s position as one of the most diverse boroughs in New York. \u201cThe communities here essentially represent the entire world. If you extrapolate those cultures, you\u2019re looking at conversations that are not just national but global,\u201d she reflects. She is most excited by how the museum has long been deeply rooted in and responsive to its diverse community, while also engaging in broader conversations with the New York cultural ecosystem, and beyond. \u201cWhat I\u2019m trying to do is articulate that narrative with greater clarity as we move toward the new building and define what our future is\u2014for the borough, the institution and the wider art audience.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Bronx Museum has balanced its local focus with broader relevance, with a history of staging exhibitions that both spotlight local artists and resonate across the wider art world. M. Momin also recalls how, just a few years ago, the Bronx was still perceived as peripheral, almost unreachable. \u201cThe Bronx was still referred to as an \u2018outer borough\u2019\u2014a term that now feels outdated. At the time, even Williamsburg felt inaccessible to collectors. It\u2019s astonishing how much can change in 20 years.\u201d Today, she sees New York as a more interconnected city, where cultural activity is distributed across multiple boroughs, though she acknowledges there is still a perception that the Bronx is difficult to reach. Changing that perception, or at least encouraging people to come, is part of the museum\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do think the museum has already played a significant role in cultural development,\u201d she says, reflecting on the institution\u2019s history and its impact on local cultural growth and beyond. For her, this is also an opportunity for the Bronx Museum to reaffirm its presence after 50 years of meaningful work.<\/p>\n

\"A\"AThe Bronx Museum hosted its annual Gala & Art Auction on April 15. Quadir Moore\/BFA.com<\/p>\n

M. Momin also highlights the museum\u2019s commitment to accessibility. Notably, the Bronx Museum is one of the few museums in the city offering completely free admission, alongside extensive public programming. \u201cAccessibility is fundamental to who we are,\u201d she states, noting how this extends to programming rooted in public engagement, youth education, community initiatives and participatory formats.<\/p>\n

One of the institution\u2019s key focuses is supporting emerging artists, particularly through initiatives such as the AIM Fellowship, which combines mentorship, community-building, and an extended exhibition. Although this culminates in a highly anticipated biennial exhibition, M. Momin points to its distinct structure, where artists develop their work over time through dialogue and sustained engagement. This creates a very different kind of exhibition\u2014one that reflects an ongoing conversation, often spanning more than a year, rather than a single curatorial moment. \u201cWatching artists grow together, support one another and exchange ideas\u2014that\u2019s incredibly powerful,\u201d she remarks.<\/p>\n

Looking ahead, M. Momin anticipates exploring ways to expand residency models within the new building, but also the need to approach this thoughtfully. \u201cAs the building evolves, we\u2019ll have more flexibility in how we program and use space,\u201d she notes. Being dynamic rather than fixed is essential to her approach. \u201cI\u2019m interested in creating a holistic institutional approach, where exhibitions, public programs and education are in conversation with one another. Not necessarily thematically identical, but connected by a shared thread.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A\"AInstallation view of \u2018The Seventh AIM Biennial: Forms of Connection\u2019 at The Bronx Museum. Photo: Argenis Apolinario<\/p>\n

At the same time, the renovated museum will finally offer space for a dynamic presentation of the permanent collection, which will rotate over time and be integrated into a broader programming strategy that connects exhibitions, education and public initiatives. The collection itself has expanded significantly in recent years, reaching over 1800 works, shaped by a board and acquisitions committee that has been deliberate in its choices, prioritizing emerging artists and the global majority while maintaining a strong sense of curatorial intention. \u201cIt\u2019s a purpose-built collection, to reflect the museum\u2019s mission, vision and values,\u201d she notes. \u201cEverything in it aligns with that mission; it\u2019s not a collection formed by chance donations and reflects a very thoughtful and rigorous curatorial and acquisitions process. We don\u2019t aim to be encyclopedic, we aim to be specific.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the coming year, programming will be ongoing and exploratory, activating the collection in dialogue with contemporary artists, M. Momin explains, though it is still too early to share more precise details. \u201cI think of it as an \u2018unfolding. \u2018 That was the theme of our gala, and it resonates both architecturally and philosophically,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s not about reinvention, it\u2019s about opening up what\u2019s already there, making it visible and allowing it to evolve.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even now, while most of the museum building is closed for renovation, the doors remain open, with the AIM Biennial on view through the summer. After that, programming will continue in the open spaces, while M. Momin also anticipates expanding the museum\u2019s initiatives into the public realm, collaborating with other Bronx organizations and activating outdoor spaces through sculpture, murals, performances and events. \u201cThis is about maintaining a dynamic presence while the building evolves.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked to describe the museum\u2019s identity in a few words, M. Momin offered: commitment to diverse voices and a focus on creativity and innovation. At its core is a mission of fostering conversations that evolve cultural discourse and respond to the realities of the world. \u201cArtists do that naturally\u2014we\u2019re here to provide a platform for those conversations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Awol Erizku, Shamim M. Momin, Lois Plehn and Colm Dillane
\n\"A\"AAwol Erizku, Shamim M. Momin, Lois Plehn, Colm Dillane Quadir Moore\/BFA.com
\nDanielle Falls, Colm Dillane and Annie B. Taylor
\n\"A\"ADanielle Falls, Colm Dillane, Annie B. Taylor Quadir Moore\/BFA.com
\nJulien Granel, Larry Warsh and Colm Dillane
\n\"A\"AJulien Granel, Larry Warsh, Colm Dillane. Quadir Moore\/BFA.com
\nDanny Baez, Hannah Traore and Bony Ramirez
\n\"Two\"TwoDanny Baez, Hannah Traore, Bony Ramirez. Quadir Moore\/BFA.com
\nMickalene Thomas
\n\"A\"AMickalene Thomas. Quadir Moore\/BFA.com
\nMichael Chuapoco, Zoe Lukov and Derrick Adams<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The highly anticipated $42.9 million renovation of the Bronx Museum of the Arts is set to be unveiled…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":200752,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[79656,1804,79668,79672,79673,3456,4982,21911,79652,79655,128,10052,79671,39395,79658,79653,79667,79661,79654,2482,78549,38545,79660,79669,79657,79662,79659,79666,65973,2576,9,24,63,8368,10867,62070,60175,79670,129,131,130,79663,79664,4635,79665],"class_list":{"0":"post-200751","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-the-bronx","8":"tag-aap-ferg","9":"tag-america-united-states","10":"tag-ann-craven","11":"tag-annie-b-taylor","12":"tag-antwaun-sargent","13":"tag-artists","14":"tag-arts","15":"tag-arts-interviews","16":"tag-arts-patrons","17":"tag-awol-erizku","18":"tag-bronx","19":"tag-bronx-museum-of-the-arts","20":"tag-danielle-falls","21":"tag-derrick-adams","22":"tag-ella-emhoff","23":"tag-gala-tags","24":"tag-gamaliel-rodru00edguez","25":"tag-hannah-traore","26":"tag-holly-block","27":"tag-interviews","28":"tag-isaiah-davis","29":"tag-joey-bada","30":"tag-jon-gray","31":"tag-julien-granel","32":"tag-kidsuper","33":"tag-larry-ossei-mensah","34":"tag-lois-plehn","35":"tag-michael-mcginnis","36":"tag-mickalene-thomas","37":"tag-museums","38":"tag-new-york","39":"tag-new-york-city","40":"tag-nyc","41":"tag-parties","42":"tag-philanthropy","43":"tag-sara-arno","44":"tag-shamim-m-momin","45":"tag-tara-downs","46":"tag-the-bronx","47":"tag-the-bronx-headlines","48":"tag-the-bronx-news","49":"tag-tyrell-hampton","50":"tag-valeri-larko","51":"tag-vanessa-l-gibson","52":"tag-zoe-lukov"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/200751","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=200751"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/200751\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/200752"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=200751"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=200751"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=200751"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}