We are thrilled to announce Columbus-based artist Marcus Morris as our Fall Fellow at The Annex, marking an exciting moment in The Gund’s ongoing commitment to supporting artists at various stages of their careers and fostering new ways of engaging with our community. Through his project, Marian Anderson: Contralto Immortal, Marcus proposes a profound mode of interaction, connecting the history of Black performance in Knox County with contemporary art practice. This fellowship is made possible through the support of the Mount Vernon Arts Consortium and their stewardship of the historic Knox Memorial Theater.

Marian Anderson, the world-renowned contralto, became a symbol of the Civil Rights Movement after being denied the opportunity to perform at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. Thanks to the support of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, Anderson delivered an iconic concert at the Lincoln Memorial in April 1939, performing before 75,000 people. Just one month later, Anderson returned to Knox County, Ohio, for a performance at the Knox Memorial Theater, a venue where she had also appeared in 1930 at the invitation of the Booker T. Washington Club.

Marcus Morris’s installation is a "ghost performance" of her 1939 concert, an homage to both the essence of Anderson’s presence and the rich history of Blackness in Mount Vernon. It is also a tribute to the centrality of theater in Knox County, highlighting its role as a space that holds and reflects cultural and historical narratives across generations. As Morris explains, "A ghost is a trace or an essence of a life." Inspired by Kenyon Professor Emeritus Ric Sheffield’s words about Marian Anderson’s Ohio performances, Morris explores her legacy through image and song, keeping conversations about our complex histories alive.

The installation invites viewers to enter the Knox Memorial Theater on October 30, where a video of Anderson’s ghostly image is projected onto an empty stage, while the space is filled with her song. This performance-as-installation draws from Anderson’s Lincoln Memorial setlist and supplemental music. The viewer is invited to focus on her gesture, as it is disconnected from the sound, allowing for an exploration of her presence as light and song. The theater, too, becomes a silent performer, holding the history of this significant moment.

This installation is a reflection on the essential role of Black performance in liberation. By reimagining Marian Anderson’s 1939 performance, we not only acknowledge her absence but also celebrate the Black women in Knox County who made it possible for her to grace the stage 85 years ago. This project is Morris’s offering to the community that welcomed Anderson, provided for her when she was refused lodging in local hotels, and ensured that her legacy became part of our shared history.