A lecture by artist and designer, Kelly Walters, inspired by The Hampton Album and Black American print culture at the turn of the century. This is part of The Lubalin Center's Open Flat File lecture series. Ten designers, artists, and researchers were invited to select a single object from Herb Lubalin Center's archive to respond to. Lecturers have designed a commemorative poster that will distributed for free at the event. Doors open at 6:00 PM. Talk starts at 6:30 PM and will be followed by a reception.
Register here. This event will be in-person in the Rose Auditorium at The Cooper Union and live-streamed on YouTube.
Registration on Eventbrite is required. However, an in-person Eventbrite ticket does not guarantee entry as this is a first-come-first-served free event.
About the speaker Walters is an artist, designer and researcher who engages with histories of Black American print publishing, material culture and archival practice. She explores these themes in her studio practice Bright Polka Dot, and works across platforms to create exhibitions, installations, publications and digital design experiences for cultural and commercial institutions.Walters was selected as a Graham Foundation award recipient in 2021 for her curated exhibition With a Cast of Colored Stars, which highlighted the evolution of racialized iconography in early 20th century Black American popular entertainment. Her publications include Black, Brown + Latinx Design Educators: Conversations on Design and Race, and the co-edited anthology The Black Experience in Design: Identity, Expression & Reflection. Walters has been recognized by AIGA,Connecticut Art Directors Club, Communication Arts, Graphis, It’s Nice That and The One Club. Walters is currently an Associate Professor of Communication Design at Parsons School of Design at The New School.
About the series This event is part of Open Flat File, a free 10-part lecture series held on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Herb Lubalin Study Center. Each lecturer was invited to select a single object from the collection to respond to through a free public talk and to design a poster about the object. The Open Flat File series will be staged during the 2026–2027 academic year.
Founded by inventor, industrialist and philanthropist Peter Cooper in 1859, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art offers education in art, architecture and engineering, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences.
From its beginnings, Cooper Union was a unique institution, dedicated to founder Peter Cooper's proposition that education is the key not only to personal prosperity but to civic virtue and harmony.
