This exclusive member lecture series invites THNOC members to join expert THNOC staff and other speakers as we explore objects in our holdings and culturally thematic assets within the greater New Orleans area and beyond. The lectures take place approximately four times per year, usually on Saturday mornings. These short sessions (lasting roughly 30 minutes each) provide members with opportunities to gather in small groups to meet our expert staff and ask questions related to lecture series topics. The Williams Lecture Series is a members-only series and requires advance registration.
Not a member? Rates start at just $45 per year and all levels include free admission to the Williams Lecture Series in addition to many more benefits. Join online or call (504) 598-7155.
Williams Lecture Series 2022 Calendar
Beads, Feathers, and Spirit:
The Preservation of Black Masking Indian Suits
with Loren Brown, Decorative Arts Trust intern
and Lydia Blackmore, Decorative Arts curator
Saturday, August 20, 2022
11:30 a.m. Central Time
Join THNOC’s Decorative Arts Trust intern Loren Brown for a virtual lecture on the maintenance and preservation of Black Masking Indian suits. Brown will discuss what she has learned from Chief Howard Miller (Creole Wild West) during her 16-week internship and how collectors, artists, and cultural institutions like THNOC can care for and store sacred suit components laden with intricate beadwork and feathers. The prerecorded virtual lecture will be followed by a live discussion with Brown, moderated by Decorative Arts curator Lydia Blackmore.
In addition to her work on site, Brown spent a great deal of time with Chief Miller at the Mardi Gras Indian Council learning about the craft, artistry, and culture of Black Masking Indian suits. This internship was funded by an IDEAL grant from the Decorative Arts Trust.
The virtual lecture is free, but registration is required.
Mardi Gras Photographs
with Mallory Taylor, co-curator of Making Mardi Gras
Friday, February 4, 2022
12 p.m. Central Time
Associate Curator and Making Mardi Gras co-curator Mallory Taylor will present an in-depth look at THNOC’s extensive collection of photography related to Carnival. Images include formal studio portraits as well as candid street scenes, and the people, places, and scenes depicted will shed light on the evolving nature of Mardi Gras traditions. This virtual midday program is free for THNOC members and will include a live Q&A portion.
Pieces of [Dining Room] History
with Sarah Duggan, DAGS coordinator and co-curator of THNOC’s Pieces of History
Saturday, June 19, 2021
11 a.m. Central Time
Sarah Duggan, DAGS coordinator and co-curator of Pieces of History, walked members through the objects and art that create the dining room display in the exhibition Pieces of History.
Clemmer and His Contemporaries
with Judith Bonner, senior curator and curator of THNOC’s forthcoming exhibition John Clemmer: A Legacy in Art
Saturday, September 25, 2021
11 a.m. Central Time
Senior Curator Judith Bonner explored the inspirations surrounding John Clemmer’s extensive artistic career in New Orleans.
Enrique Alférez
with Katie Bowler Young, author of Enrique Alférez: Sculptor
Saturday, December 11, 2021
11 a.m. Central Time
Katie Bowler Young, author of THNOC’s recent biography of Enrique Alférez, discussed intimate details of the artist's work and provided members with a virtual tour of his Uptown studio.