Chaédria LaBouvier facts for kids

Chaédria LaBouvier is an American curator and writer. A curator is someone who plans and organizes art exhibitions in museums. In 2019, she made history at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City. She became the first person of Cuban descent to curate an exhibition there in 80 years. She was also the first Black author to write a catalogue for a Guggenheim exhibition. This special exhibition was called "Basquiat's Defacement: The Untold Story."

Early Life and Education

Chaédria LaBouvier grew up in Texas, in the southern United States. Her family had deep roots in the Creole communities of Texas and Louisiana. From a young age, she was very interested in the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. This is because her parents owned three of his drawings.

In 2007, LaBouvier earned a bachelor's degree in history from Williams College. Later, in 2014, she received a master's degree in screenwriting. She earned this degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Career Highlights

In 2019, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum hired LaBouvier. She became the first Black guest curator in the museum's history. She was also the second Black curator overall at the Guggenheim. Her job was to organize a special art exhibition. She also became the first Black author to write a catalogue for the Guggenheim.

Her exhibition, "Basquiat's Defacement: The Untold Story," opened in June 2019. It showed art by Jean-Michel Basquiat. The exhibition also told the story of Michael Stewart. His death inspired Basquiat's painting, The Death of Michael Stewart. Other artists like Keith Haring and George Condo also had art in the show. The exhibition focused on the experiences of Black men in the United States. It ran for five months and had many visitors.

In 2021, Williams College honored LaBouvier. She received a Bicentennial Medal from her old college. She was the youngest person ever to receive this award.

Making a Difference in Museums

LaBouvier has spoken openly about her experiences in the art world. She has shared how she felt treated at the Guggenheim. After she spoke out, the Guggenheim hired a company to look into her claims. This led to changes at the museum. The chief curator, Nancy Spector, left her job. The museum also hired its first full-time Black curator.

Because she spoke up, many people see LaBouvier as a leader. She helped start the "Change the Museum" movement. This movement encourages museums to be more fair and welcoming to everyone.