Selected Curatorial Projects
On the 125th anniversary of the Spanish-American and U.S.-Philippine wars, portraiture puts faces to places and presents this history from multiple perspectives. Patrons of portraiture wielded the craft as an instrument of nation building, and in the lands whose sovereignty the United States assailed or dissolved, as a tool of resistance or affirmation. The legacy of U.S. imperialism continues to be contested today, both politically and constitutionally. This exhibition captures these debates and recognizes that the Smithsonian Institution’s collecting practices legitimized the imperial project. Curated by Kate Lemay and Taina Caragol.
1898: U.S. Imperial Visions and Revisions, National Portrait Gallery
Rallying Against Racism, National Museum of American History
As COVID-19 spread across the United States in early 2020, San Francisco’s Chinatown community was already being shunned, even targeted by those who considered the disease “the China virus.” Because Asian Americans had been subject to racist scapegoating and violence so often in the past, they organized a rally to call on their fellow citizens and residents “to fight the virus, NOT the people.” Project Director: Theo Gonzalves. [LEARN MORE]
Entertainment Nation, National Museum of American History
Through the National Museum of American History’s extraordinary collection of theater, music, sports, movie and television objects, the exhibition Entertainment Nation features a powerful, ever-changing selection of objects and interactive experiences. Through the objects and their stories, the exhibition explores how, for over 150 years, entertainment has provided a forum for important national conversations. Curated by John Troutman.
The Asian Pacific America Series, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
The Asian Pacific America Series is a musical exploration of multiple generations of diverse experiences. The series includes a broad range of styles, from traditional to popular, highlighting how music connects people to shared senses of history, community, and place. Certain recordings in the series reach toward the formation of a pan-Asian American political identity , while others reflect interethnic experiments in jazz, expressions of faith, contemporary songcraft, and beyond. The curatorial team consists of Theo Gonzalves, Deborah Wong, and Sojin Kim.
Roots and Rituals: A Timeline of Carlos Villa, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco
Carlos Villa: Worlds in Collision celebrates the exuberant work and enduring influence of San Francisco artist Carlos Villa (1936–2013). The first major museum retrospective dedicated to the work of a Filipino American artist, this groundbreaking exhibition shows us Villa not only as one of the most important artists of his generation, but also as a teacher, curator, activist, and community organizer. Theo Gonzalves wrote and narrated the exhibit’s accompanying historical timeline. Curated by Mark Dean Johnson and Trisha Lagaso Goldberg.