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Robert Blackson, a stellar arts advocate and educator who has made significant contributions to the intersection of art, education, and community engagement has been recently welcomed as Director and Curator of the Kohl Gallery at Washington College.
Blackson’s forward-thinking approach to contemporary art is perhaps best showcased through his tenure as Director of Exhibitions and Public Programs at Temple Contemporary, the art gallery of Temple University. There, he pushed the boundaries of public programming with visionary projects like the widely celebrated Symphony for a Broken Orchestra. This groundbreaking initiative addressed a pressing issue: the lack of functional musical instruments in Philadelphia’s public schools, which had significantly hindered students’ access to music education.
To bring attention to the problem, Blackson and his team collected 1,000 broken instruments from local schools, transforming them into a public exhibition. The project’s highlight was a unique performance featuring a composition by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang, performed by local musicians using the damaged instruments. In addition, an ‘adopt an instrument’ campaign was launched, raising funds to repair the instruments and return them to the schools.
This initiative not only restored vital resources for music education but also demonstrated the transformative power of art to rally communities around a common cause.
Now at Washington College, Blackson is set to bring his expertise and passion to the Kohl Gallery, an integral part of the college and Chestertown’s vibrant arts scene. His vision for the gallery includes fostering connections between contemporary art and the local community, ensuring that the space serves as both a cultural hub and a platform for meaningful dialogue.
The gallery is named in honor of Ben and Judy Kohl who supported its creation and has been central to showcasing contemporary art while also engaging with historical and cultural themes. It frequently collaborates with other academic departments, fostering interdisciplinary exploration. Additionally, Kohl Gallery has been instrumental in providing students hands-on experience in curating, art handling, and gallery management.
Here, Rob Blackson discusses his vision of the Kohl Gallery’s role in arts education and curation of the exhibits to come.
Located in Gibson Center for the Arts, Kohl Gallery is Washington College’s flagship venue for visual arts programming.
For more about Kohl Gallery, go here.
This video is approximately seven minutes in length
