By Grace Stecher, Syracuse University
This February, Florence celebrated Black History Month with a range of exhibitions, screenings, talks, and performances hosted by the Recovery Plan, an educational center founded in 2016 dedicated to researching and preserving the cultural history of afrodescendant cultures.
This year’s theme, Common Time, was designed to reflect on common perceptions of history and break from the patterns that have marginalized the Black Italian community.
Through Syracuse Florence’s internship program, student Abigail Shim has worked with the Recovery Plan to help curate Black History Month exhibits during her semester abroad.
As a studio arts major and a museum studies minor, Shim was excited to gain curatorial experience through an internship. “I was really interested in the art scene in Italy and the museum and gallery scenes, especially because Italy is so known for this historically and today,” she said. “I really wanted to involve myself and get some experience.”
Since January, Shim and three other Syracuse interns have been scanning and digitizing the manuscripts of African American writer William Demby, who spent decades living in Rome. Several of the documents they worked with were recently featured in the Murate Art District show “William Demby: The Angel in the Death Cell,” curated by the Recovery Plan and Black History Month Florence. The exhibition centered on Demby’s theatrical work and his previously unpublished play The Angel in the Death Cell.
Justin Randolph Thompson, co-founder of the Recovery Plan, conducted extensive research on the play in question. Shim had the opportunity to design and organize a table for the exhibit that displayed Thompson’s research, giving attendees insight into the significance of Demby’s work and his life in Italy.
Through this hands-on role, Shim said she developed both professional experience and a meaningful connection to the city of Florence. “I feel like when you’re a student here, it’s like you’re not really in the community,” she said. “So I’m really grateful for being able to experience that through my internship.”