At the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), a luminous celebration unfolded as Chair Emerita Barbara Tober and Director Tim Rodgers welcomed guests to an intimate luncheon in honor of the museum’s latest exhibition, Douriean Fletcher: Jewelry of the Afrofuture. The afternoon brought together artists, patrons, and friends of MAD to explore the visionary work of jewelry artist Douriean Fletcher, whose pieces blend ancestral heritage with futuristic imagination.
During the event, MAD Senior Curator Barbara Paris Gifford and co-curator Sebastian Grant joined Fletcher in an engaging conversation that offered rare insight into the artist’s creative philosophy and groundbreaking career.
“Douriean is the very first jeweler to be recognized by the Motion Picture Costumer Union, a very high honor,” Gifford shared. “Usually, when we talk about a film, we know the director, the production designer, the costume designer—but we rarely recognize the craftspeople behind the magic. Douriean is one of those artists who make cinematic worlds come alive.”
For Fletcher, Afrofuturism represents empowerment and reclamation. “To me, Afrofuturism means putting me—or one who identifies as Black or African—at the center of their own story,” she said. “It’s about removing Eurocentric ideals and celebrating identity, fashion, decor, spirituality, and belief systems from a place of self-determination and strength.”
Guests had the privilege of viewing the exhibition’s spectacular centerpiece: the intricate breastplate created for Angela Bassett’s portrayal of Queen Ramonda in Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Fletcher reflected, “It was important to me to include as many stones as possible because in media and film, we don’t often see Africans adorned with their own resources. I wanted to show the beauty of Africa’s semi-precious stones and celebrate an African queen wearing her own wealth.”
The afternoon’s attendees included Carrie Rebora Barratt, Janna Bullock, Sharon Bush, Barbara Cirkva, Machine Dazzle, Layla S. Diba, Helen Drutt, Isabelle Harnoncourt Feigen, Susan Gutfreund, Dr. Bruce C. Horten, LaVon Kellner, Elbrun Kimmelman, Michele Gerber Klein, Thomas Knapp, B. Michael, Nicole Miller, Chris Minev, Tinu Naija, Cheryl R. Riley, Kay Unger, and Rolonda Watts.
On view through May 15, 2025, Douriean Fletcher: Jewelry of the Afrofuture showcases 75 works that chart Fletcher’s evolution from self-taught metalsmith to acclaimed designer for Marvel’s Black Panther films. Crafted from brass, gold, and semi-precious stones, her sculptural adornments embody themes of Afrofuturism, Black identity, and the cultural dialogue between African and African American jewelry traditions. Through her art, Fletcher reimagines adornment as a bridge uniting communities and histories once divided by colonialism and oppression.
For more information, visit madmuseum.org/exhibition/douriean-fletcher.
About the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD)
Founded in 1956 by philanthropist Aileen Osborn Webb, MAD champions the work of contemporary makers across art, design, and craft. The museum’s exhibitions celebrate the ingenuity and skill of artists transforming materials through both traditional techniques and modern innovation. Building on a rich curatorial history, MAD continues to reveal the artistry behind the objects and environments that shape everyday life—offering visitors a participatory space to experience creativity in motion.
Learn more at madmuseum.org.
