Podcast Summary: Alvin Ailey's Archives at the Whitney

Podcast: All Of It (WNYC)
Host: David Fuerst (in for Alison Stewart)
Guest: Adrienne Edwards, Senior Curator and Associate Director of Curatorial Programs, Whitney Museum
Date: September 24, 2024
Episode Focus: The opening of “Edges of Ailey,” the first major museum exhibition to explore the life, art, and cultural impact of legendary choreographer Alvin Ailey at the Whitney Museum.

Overview

This episode explores the groundbreaking exhibition "Edges of Ailey" at the Whitney Museum, spotlighting legendary choreographer Alvin Ailey. David Fuerst interviews Adrienne Edwards, the exhibition's lead curator, discussing the task of bringing dance—a traditionally ephemeral, live art form—into the physical and conceptual space of an art museum. The conversation delves into the show's design, Ailey’s creative process, his Southern roots, the resonance of his work with freedom and Black spirituality, and an extensive live performance component accompanying the exhibit.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Why Alvin Ailey at the Whitney?

• The Whitney, known for visual contemporary art, has a precedent for dance programming but has never hosted an exhibition of this scale devoted to dance or to Alvin Ailey.
• “This show…is one of the most ambitious projects we’ve ever done at the museum.” —Adrienne Edwards [02:55]

2. Structure and Design of the Exhibition ([03:38]–[06:50])

• Two Main Components:
  • Fifth Floor Exhibition (18,000 sq ft): Archival materials, Ailey's journals, 82 featured artists, historical works (as early as 1851), new commissions, and an 18-screen video surround.
  • Live Performance Program: Weekly events in the third-floor theater, including a five-week residency by the Ailey Company.
• Immersive Design Choices:
  • No white walls; the space is awash in red, referencing Ailey's concept of "blood memories," the South, and theater venues (red velvet curtains).
  • “Red just seemed to be the perfect color for this exhibition. So we took a risk and went with it.” —Adrienne Edwards [07:57]

3. Adrienne Edwards’ Personal Connection ([09:26]–[11:15])

• Ailey and his company were Edwards’s first exposure to the arts.
• Her first-hand, life-long relationship with his work posed both a challenge and a unique perspective for curating.
• “Ailey is the first art experience I ever had in my life.” —Adrienne Edwards [09:26]
• Edwards danced as a child, reinforcing the importance and intimacy of the exhibition for her own journey.

4. Insights from Ailey's Notebooks ([11:17]–[13:37])

• Creative Process:
  • Notebooks revealed improvisational, music-driven choreography—frequently set directly on dancers during rehearsal.
  • Included everyday observations (like his breakfast) and deep reflections (impact of touring internationally).
  • The company performed more often in grassroots venues—community centers, gymnasiums—than in formal theaters, underscoring their enduring wide appeal.
• “It’s very challenging to bring...the sensuality of the body and music...into an exhibition context.” —Adrienne Edwards [10:12]
• “He often started with music…then set the dances directly on dancers in the rehearsal process.” —Adrienne Edwards [12:16]

5. Ailey’s Southern Roots and Black Spirituality ([13:37]–[17:06])

• Exhibition includes a section called “Southern Imaginary,” exploring Ailey’s Texan origins, extended to connections with Haiti and Brazil.
• Recurring motifs in his work (e.g., processional baptisms, white umbrellas in “Revelations”) are directly tied to the rituals and aesthetics of the rural South.
• “I’m Alvin Ailey. I’m a choreographer. I’m a black man whose roots are in the sun and the dirt of the South.” —Alvin Ailey (quoted in exhibition) [13:37]
• Ailey’s approach to dance paralleled jazz and the blues: focus on individual expression within collective creativity.

6. Ailey’s Cultural Context: Queerness and Liberation ([18:21]–[20:56])

• The exhibition publicly acknowledges the complexities of Ailey’s identity as a gay Black man and the implications for his art and legacy.
• Ailey’s own writings reflect candidly on his sexuality in a time when it could not always be openly discussed.
• “When you go through these notebooks, you...think, ‘Oh, closeted to whom?’ Not in the context of his own understanding of himself.” —Adrienne Edwards [19:15]
• Edwards emphasizes the importance of situating Ailey’s experience within the nuanced social history of his era, not imposing contemporary frameworks.

7. Live Programming and Community Engagement ([20:56]–[22:26])

• The live performance program brings the Ailey company and associated programs into the Whitney for one week each month.
• 11 choreographers have been commissioned or invited for new or restaged pieces; approximately 90 performances in all.
• Also includes public workshops and free admission nights, emphasizing the show's accessibility and community focus.
• “It’s like the Ailey Company is bringing its uptown operations to the museum downtown.” —Adrienne Edwards [21:17]

8. What Should Visitors Take Away? ([22:45]–[23:43])

• Edwards hopes visitors are inspired by Ailey’s “sheer curiosity,” self-taught approach, and relentless desire to learn and collaborate.
• “He was largely self-taught...putting him in conversation with all these other artists is exactly what he did in his notebooks.” —Adrienne Edwards [23:16]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Adrienne Edwards on Ailey’s influence:
  “Ailey is the first art experience I ever had in my life.” [09:26]
• On the importance of red in the exhibition design:
  “Mr. Ailey described his work as being about blood memories... red just seemed to be the perfect color for this exhibition.” [07:57]
• On Ailey’s improvisational method:
  “He liked to kind of start with music and then set the dances directly on dancers in the rehearsal process.” [12:16]
• On inclusivity and resonance:
  “The company, during his lifetime, performed more in community centers and high school gymnasiums than they did in performing arts theaters... might help us understand why it is that the company resonates with so many people across the world.” [13:25]
• Ailey’s own words (quoted in the exhibition):
  “I’m Alvin Ailey. I’m a choreographer. I’m a black man whose roots are in the sun and the dirt of the South.” [13:37]
• Complexities of legacy and identity:
  “Not in the context of his own understanding of himself...there are wonderful meditations and reflections... he wrote about his queerness.” [19:15]
• On takeaways from the exhibition:
  “I hope that they walk away with being compelled by his sheer curiosity.” [22:56]

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:32] Adrienne Edwards welcomed; overview of why dance—and Ailey—at the Whitney
• [03:42] Exhibition structure, immersive design, video surrounds
• [06:41] Exhibition’s dramatic spatial and color choices, symbolism of red
• [09:26] Edwards shares her personal connection to Ailey
• [11:32] Insights from Ailey’s journals and process
• [13:37] The role of Ailey’s Southern roots in his art
• [17:26] Why is this the first major museum show on Ailey?
• [18:21] Navigating Ailey’s queerness, Blackness, and broader cultural pressures
• [20:56] Description of live performances and programming
• [22:56] Adrienne Edwards’s hopes for visitor takeaways

Summary

This episode offers a moving and insightful discussion about “Edges of Ailey,” the first major museum exhibition honoring the pioneering choreographer Alvin Ailey. Through Adrienne Edwards's curatorial vision, the episode examines how museums can honor ephemeral art forms; the ways in which Ailey’s Black, Southern, and queer identities shaped his legendary works; and how deeply community and personal history are woven into Ailey’s legacy. The exhibition aims not only to preserve and present Ailey’s past but to keep his spirit of collaboration, curiosity, and liberation alive through active performances and ongoing engagement with New York’s diverse communities.