Artist Talk and Book Signing with New York Times #1 Bestseller Illustrator, Nikkolas Smith 

About

Smith is the illustrator of the book The 1619 Project: Born on the Water by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée
Watson (Penguin Random House, 2021), one of two books that is featured in the current
MMAM exhibition, Across a Wide Ocean: Remarkable Stories about the Origins of Identity, on
view now through January 5, 2025.
The artist talk is titled, “Artivism: The Power of Art to Change the World,” and will take
place in the Across a Wide Ocean gallery in front of Smith’s artwork. Through his powerful
Artivism and his experiences as a Black Artist, Nikkolas Smith will take the audience into a
visual journey to talk about how art can spark important conversations around our society's
greatest broken bones and inspire us to make positive changes. From his beginnings at Walt
Disney Imagineering, to creating compelling viral art and best-selling picture books focused on
history and social justice, to crafting concept art and posters for Oscar winning movies, to
collaborating with organizations to shed light on important topics, Smith combines talent,
passion and activism to inspire the world.
Tickets for the event are $12, which includes admission to the museum. Members of
MMAM are free for this event, but registration is requested. There is also an option to purchase
one of Smith’s signed books, Born on the Water or Artivist, at a discounted rate with a ticket to
the talk for $27. Tickets are available for the event at MMAM.org.