Sargent Claude Johnson Exhibition
Role: Evaluation Manager
Type: Gallery Exhibition Evaluation
Objective: Assess audience engagement and identify design improvements to support inclusive, emotionally resonant exhibition experiences.
✨ Project Overview
Presented in The Huntington’s MaryLou and George Boone Gallery, this landmark exhibition celebrated the work of modernist sculptor and painter Sargent Claude Johnson, whose legacy as a pioneering African American artist bridges form, identity, and cultural history. Curated by Dennis Carr, Jacqueline Francis, and John Bowles, the show honored Johnson’s bold vision and emotional depth, positioning his work at the center of the modernist narrative.
As the Evaluation Manager, I led the assessment of the visitor experience—translating qualitative insights and spatial data into actionable recommendations for future exhibitions.
💡 Experience Goals
- • Foster emotional and intellectual connection to Johnson’s artistic journey
- • Create a narrative flow that reflects his cultural influence and formal innovation
- • Ensure accessibility, clarity, and pacing for a wide range of audiences
- • Center Black artistry and storytelling in the visitor journey
✍🏼 Curatorial & Interpretive Lens
Modernism Through a Cultural Lens
The exhibition foregrounded Johnson’s dedication to representing Black life with dignity, abstraction, and grace. Interpretive texts, object pairings, and exhibition pacing were designed to guide visitors through key themes such as resilience, heritage, and belonging.
Audience Reflection & Dialogue
Through gallery interviews, digital comment cards, and survey data, visitors described powerful emotional responses—often tied to themes of cultural identity, representation, and pride. Many found the exhibition both educational and spiritually affirming.
🌀 Evaluation Challenges
- • Wayfinding: Some visitors struggled to locate the entrance, signaling a need for more intentional visual cues and multilingual signage
- • Accessibility Gaps: While content was strong, physical and sensory access points—such as braille guides—were limited
- • Engagement Modes: The show encouraged intellectual and emotional reflection, but lacked interactive or tactile moments for embodied engagement
🎯 Recommendations
- 1. Enhance Signage & Visual Flow: Clarify the entrance and gallery transitions with high-contrast, multilingual cues
- 2. Increase Multisensory Access: Incorporate braille, audio interpretation, and quiet reflection zones
- 3. Layer Interpretive Modes: Blend passive and active engagement opportunities to accommodate diverse learning styles and levels of familiarity with the subject
📸 Visual Assets
- • Visitor journey maps and heatmaps of gallery flow
- • Comment card highlights and survey responses
- • Annotated gallery layout with key findings
🪞 Reflection
This project affirmed the power of art to create space for identity, memory, and healing. Evaluating this exhibition deepened my belief in experience design as a tool for cultural affirmation and accessibility. My work here bridged analytics with care—translating audience voices into design strategies that center inclusion, clarity, and connection.
💼 Tools Used: Qualtrics, Vea Analytics, Illustrator