Jevon Brown Reflects as Inaugural Eleanor Merritt Fellow at The Ringling

Jevon Brown commenced his role as the first Eleanor Merritt Fellow at The Ringling in August 2023. His research focuses on the archives of Eleanor Merritt (1933-2019), who was a significant artist, educator, and the first African American docent at The Ringling. Brown's artistic endeavors include the Barbershop Collage Series, which delves into community ties. Merritt's well-preserved archives feature exhibition guides, photographs, lesson plans, newspaper articles, artist directories, and correspondence. She received the National President's Award in 1996 and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005 from the Women's Caucus of Art for her Women of Color Slide Project. As chair of the Sarasota County Public Art Committee, she advanced public art initiatives. Her legacy influences Black women artists like Elizabeth Catlett, Faith Ringgold, and Shinique Smith, whose exhibition 'Parade' is currently displayed at The Ringling. In 2022, Executive Director Steven High collaborated with the Merritt estate to curate the exhibition 'Remembrance.' The Merritt Fellowship, lasting 9 to 12 months, aims to cultivate cultural heritage leaders under the guidance of the Associate Director of Academic Affairs and Collections.