Douriean Fletcher Opening Day Celebration

Grab a friend or the whole family and be among the first to experience Douriean Fletcher: Jewelry of the Afrofuture at the Walters. This opening-day event celebrates the work and impact of the self-taught jewelry artist and includes an artist talk with Douriean, performances, a film screening curated by Wide Angle Youth Media, workshops with the Baltimore Jewelry Center and artists Caprece Ann Jackson and Evette Monique, and more!

Douriean Fletcher: Jewelry of the Afrofuture is dedicated to jewelry artist Douriean Fletcher, whose work has shaped the cinematic worlds of Marvel Studios’ Black Panther films and Coming 2 America. The exhibition explores the self-taught metalsmith’s jewelry as a powerful narrative tool in art, Black identity, and visual storytelling and spotlights works from the Walters collection that inspired the artist. The exhibition is on view from April 18 to August 9 in our Temporary Exhibition Gallery on Level 1.

Enjoy the following free activities.

Necklace Making with Baltimore Jewelry Center
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Create a necklace with foil embossing and other special materials.
Level 2 lobby

Story Times
11 a.m. with special guests from Urban Reads
12 p.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m.
Gather the whole family to hear stories related to the exhibition.
Egyptian galleries, Level 2

Film Screening by Wide Angle Youth Media
11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Listen to a panel discussion followed by a screening of short films curated by Wide Angle Youth Media.
Graham Auditorium, Level 1 and
Lower Level (accessible seating)

Artist Talk with Douriean Fletcher
1-2 p.m.
Hear from Douriean Fletcher and curators Barbara Paris Gifford and Christine Sciacca about the exhibition. Audience Q&A to follow.
Graham Auditorium, Level 1 and
Lower Level (accessible seating)

Conservation Window
12:30-4 p.m.
Hear from a conservator about objects in our collection.
Level 4 lobby

Wire Jewelry Workshop
2-3:30 p.m.
Create wearable art using wire to make your own bracelet, necklace, and earrings with Caprece Jackson and
Evette Monique.
Level 2 lobby

Performance by The Chicory Project
2:30-3 p.m.
Experience an introduction to the Afrofuture with a moment of poetry by Nakia Brown & Slangston Hughes.
Graham Auditorium, Level 1 and
Lower Level (accessible seating)

Music by DJ Afrodelic
3-4 p.m.
Sculpture Court, Level 2A
accessible via smaller elevator

Exhibition Videos Screening
3-4 p.m.
Watch videos from the exhibition on the big screen.
Graham Auditorium, Level 1 and
Lower Level (accessible seating)

Museum Cafe and Store
Level1A
Shop products and refreshments related to the exhibition. Enjoy a 20% discount on purchases of $50 or more in the Museum Store.

The Walters Art Museum will have a photographer taking promotional photos of the celebration. Please email [email protected] if you would like you or your group’s photo omitted from our materials.

This exhibition is made possible, in part, by The Betty Cooke and William O. Steinmetz Exhibitions Fund, Guy Flynn and Nupur Parekh Flynn, Judy and Scott Phares, Anthony Evans and Kevin Sowers, Alex Cooper Auctioneers, Jabari Jefferson, Shaquayah McKenzie, Susan Weingast Brown and Thomas Brown, Jesse Salazar and Tom Williams, Mark Anthony Thomas, Travieso & Ziegler, LLC, and other supporters of the Walters Art Museum.

Accessibility resources and accommodations are available for programs and events. Visit our accessibility web page for more information. Please email [email protected] with questions and requests.

About the Artists

Douriean Fletcher began making jewelry as a personal exploration of identity and cultural heritage. Raised in Pasadena, California, her early work was shaped by her travels to South Africa, where she studied traditional forms of adornment and their role in community and ceremony. In 2016, the self-taught artist became the first jewelry designer to be included in the Motion Picture Costumer Union. This distinction made her the sole jewelry artist on the production teams of the films to which she contributed. In addition to her film work, Fletcher maintains an independent studio practice, with recent collections featured by luxury retailers such as Bergdorf Goodman. Her work has been celebrated for its layered references and commitment to handcraft, blending past, present, and future in wearable form.

Caprece Ann Jackson is a fashion and cultural events producer, host and interviewer, and a sustainable fashion curator. Since 2011, Jackson has produced fashion programming in Baltimore and across the United States, including sustainable fashion presentations, performance art installations, professional wardrobing, personal styling, upcycling workshops, clothing swaps, and industry-elevating platforms. Between 2022-24, Jackson was featured in Visit Baltimore’s national ad campaign, and from 2023-24, she served the City of Baltimore arts and culture arm of the as its first Fashion Programming Coordinator. She is a Fashion Ambassador for Sustainable Fashion Week US, the global @AdvancedStyle Movement, and Baltimore City. Her career highlights include covering Paris and Milan Fashion Weeks as a Paris-based journalist, staffing the launch team of ELLE Magazine’s U.S. edition, and serving a four-year stint as a press secretary for Baltimore City Council.

Evette Monique is a rising star on Baltimore’s fashion scene and beyond whose work has been featured in British Vogue, Vogue Weekly, and Swerv Magazine, as well as dozens of Baltimore market showcases, including Project ARTSCAPE and the Baltimore Met Gala. She presented at Milan Fashion Week in 2024 and London Fashion Week in 2023. She channels her creativity and perspectives through fabric and accessories as a wearable artiste, milliner, wire artist, upcycling specialist, and sustainable fashion designer. Born and raised in Baltimore, Monique is known by her growing clientele for her signature techniques, including using non-traditional fibers, material, and fabrics; using 3-D embellishments; and elevating recycled and vintage clothing with a hybrid sensibility that merges haute couture, avant garde, and fantasy.

The Chicory Project: Almost 60 years ago, a magazine entitled Chicory was published. Within its pages, breathed the words and art from the voices of Baltimore’s many Black residents. Over its run, many prominent poets led the way in utilizing this platform to amplify the voices of those who are often left out but have something to say.

Nakia Brown is a Baltimore-born poet and writer who explores identity, culture, and healing through rhythmic words you can actually feel in your heart. She’s been invited to speak on stages across the US, including Baltimore City Hall, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Chicago, Morgan State University, Goucher College, and the University of California, Berkeley.

Slangston Hughes aka Victor Rodgers is a multiple time National Poetry Slam Champion based out of Baltimore, Maryland. Current Bunting fellow with Johns Hopkins University as well as Black studies curriculum writing fellow for Crayons & Culture LLC and community outreach coordinator for The Chicory Project. (Chicory Magazine) The former Artistic Director of DewMore Baltimore and previous coach of the 2 time world champion Baltimore City Youth Poetry Team. And founder as well as team member of the 7X champion Slammageddon Baltimore adult slam team. The winniest team in poetry slam history. As well as the author of the poetry collection “Slanguage Arts & Griot Glimpses” and the forthcoming book “God’s Favorite Breakdance Move.” As well as the award winning mixtape “Tell The Truth Or Shut The F*^% Up”… His work has been published in the Poets ‘ America anthology via the Kratz Creative Writing Center.

The Baltimore Jewelry Center is an educational nonprofit building a vibrant creative community for the study and practice of metalsmithing and art jewelry. We educate and inspire new and established artists, as well as promote metalsmithing and art jewelry to the general public through exhibitions, community and educational outreach.

Stevie Pniewski is an artist and maker based in Baltimore, MD. They received their BFA from MICA in fiber in 2018. They continued their education at the Baltimore Jewelry Center, moving from student to intern to instructor. Currently, Stevie teaches classes and workshops at the BJC for both adults and youth. They also work as a metal fabricator and upholsterer in the furniture industry alongside their partner, with whom they operate Realm Furniture, making unique objects and furniture that focuses on eclectic and aberrant design.

Afr0delic is a Baltimore-based, Jamaican-raised global DJ who makes cultures kiss on the dancefloor. Specializing in liberating, border-breaking, & body bouncing afro-diasporic riddim, They are very passionate about intentional sonic/spirit connection, creating an experience that is authentic, ancestrally empowering, heart-felt, and freeing. Having rocked venues all over the East Coast and beyond, Afr0delic (@afr0delic) is currently the resident DJ of @Bmoreblackmall, @thebaltimorescene live radio show on WEAA 88.9FM, Afr0-Delicacies Radio on Half Moon BK, and the @resurrectionsoullibation open mic.

When traditional outlets shut her out, Tia opened Urban Reads Bookstore—East Baltimore’s only Black woman-owned indie bookstore—giving the community a vibrant space for literacy and youth programs. She further expanded her mission with the Urban Reads Foundation, restoring access, dignity, and opportunity for justice-impacted families and lifelong learners. The foundation’s work connects the bookstore, magazine, and advocacy efforts, ensuring that knowledge, opportunity, and community are within everyone’s reach. Tia Hamilton’s story is one of resilience, vision, and transformative action—building access and hope where systems have failed.