DOC.
E. Reff-Presco
Scholar-Curator | Cultural Leader | Institution Builder
I bring ambitious curatorial ideas to life, build cultural infrastructure, and create spaces where art, history, and contemporary life meet.
Working across contemporary art and the African Diaspora, I develop exhibitions and cultural initiatives that challenge inherited narratives, amplify underrepresented voices, and expand how we understand the world through art. My practice connects curatorial vision with institutional strategy, translating ideas into exhibitions, programs, and experiences that invite audiences to see differently.
Chess, Not Checkers
A curatorial case study by Dr. Eden Reff-Presco
Strategy. Power. Identity. The Art of Seeing Beyond the Obvious.
Chess, Not Checkers explores the relationships between strategy, power, identity, and the decisions that shape how we navigate the world. Bringing together artists whose practices engage questions of history, representation, agency, and cultural positioning, the exhibition invites audiences to look beyond the surface of an image and consider the layered meanings embedded within it. Developed as an exhibition and public engagement initiative at Prince George's Community College, the project extends beyond the presentation of artworks. It creates opportunities for critical interpretation, interdisciplinary learning, and dialogue across artistic, educational, and community contexts.
PROJECT AT A GLANCE
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Exhibition: Chess, Not Checkers
Institution: Prince George's Community College
Role: Gallery Director and Curator
Responsibilities: Curatorial development, exhibition production, catalogue development, communications coordination, and public programming Related engagement: Educational partnerships and public programming, as applicable
Exhibition Dates: August 29-November 13, 2026
Panel Discussion: August 29, 2026
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Panelists: E. L. Briscoe, Visual Artist; Carol Rhodes Dyson, Washington, DC Curator; Wesley Clark, Visual Artist; and Dr. Iyelli Ichile, Scholar​
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Artworks on exhibit by: Emma Amos, E. L. Briscoe, Elizabeth Catlett, Wesley Clark, Nekisha Durrett, Taj Herbert, Rée Hyun, Maurice James Jr., Jacob Lawrence, Felicita Felli Maynard, Aline Motta, Woodrow Nash, Masud Olufani, Virgil Ortiz, Petie Parker, Tammie Rubin, Zsudayka Nzinga Terrell, Felandus Thames, and Tamara Torres
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Building the Exhibition: Vision, Infrastructure, and Execution
Developing Chess, Not Checkers required more than a curatorial vision. As the institution's inaugural gallery director, I was responsible for advancing an ambitious exhibition while navigating the operational, logistical, and institutional demands of a developing gallery environment. The project required coordination across multiple areas of exhibition production, including artist outreach, institutional loans, shipping logistics, contractor coordination, installation planning, scheduling, and budget management. These responsibilities unfolded alongside the continued development of the gallery space itself, requiring adaptability as exhibition planning and implementation progressed. Working as a team of one, I brought together the many components necessary to move the exhibition from concept to public presentation. This included developing the curatorial framework, preparing a detailed exhibition catalogue, writing the press release, coordinating with the institution's communications team, and organizing and moderating a public panel discussion. The experience required sustained attention to the relationship between curatorial ambition and the practical conditions that shape exhibition-making. It also underscored the importance of clear communication, coordinated timelines, thoughtful resource allocation, and the ability to navigate changing institutional circumstances without losing sight of the project's intellectual and public purpose. Chess, Not Checkers represents an important chapter in the development of my curatorial practice: an opportunity to bring together scholarship, exhibition development, institutional coordination, and public engagement while helping establish the possibilities of a gallery program within a growing institutional environment.
Developing the Space
The gallery during its early development.
Preparing the space for exhibition installation.
The exhibition emerged within a gallery environment that was itself undergoing development. Translating the curatorial vision into a cohesive exhibition required careful consideration of the relationship between the physical space, installation requirements, artwork placement, and the intended visitor experience. As the space evolved, exhibition planning required ongoing coordination and adjustments to accommodate changing conditions. This process reinforced the importance of aligning curatorial decisions with installation requirements, available resources, and the practical realities of presenting artworks within a developing environment. For me, the experience demonstrated that exhibition-making begins well before the first artwork is installed. It requires an understanding of the space, anticipation of logistical demands, and sustained coordination among the people and processes responsible for bringing an exhibition to life.
Chess, Not Checkers, installed in the completed gallery.
From Concept to Public Engagement
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Exhibition concept, research, artist outreach, artwork selection, and interpretive framework
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Institutional loan coordination, shipping logistics, contractor coordination, installation planning, scheduling, and budget management
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Detailed exhibition catalogue (independently drafted and designed by me), press release (Written by me and distributed and approved by the communications team), and coordination with the communications team on flyer design and advertisements
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Organization, hosting, and moderation of a panel discussion, alongside other exhibition-related programming
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Coordinated with PGCC-TV to draft, film, and finalize documentary-style footage for broadcasting of the unboxing, gallery development, the install, panel discussion, and opening reception.
Chess, Not Checkers: Published Catalog
Navigating Challenges
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The exhibition required careful resource allocation and prioritization within established budget constraints.
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As the inaugural gallery director, I coordinated multiple dimensions of exhibition development and delivery with limited dedicated staffing.
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The project required coordination across multiple stakeholders and institutional functions while navigating institutional processes and approval timelines.
An Exhibition in Conversation With the Classroom
The interpretive possibilities of Chess, Not Checkers extended beyond the gallery through engagement with educators exploring connections between visual art and literary inquiry. Six ninth-grade English teachers from a local high school visited the exhibition as they planned a student field trip connected to a curricular unit examining hidden meanings. Their visit created an opportunity to consider how artworks could complement literary interpretation and encourage students to look beyond the immediately visible to investigate symbolism, narrative, perspective, and the ideas embedded within visual forms.
9th-grade educators explore Chess, Not Checkers while planning an interdisciplinary student learning experience.
The exhibition offered a point of connection between artistic interpretation and the close reading of texts. Both invite viewers and readers to examine details, question assumptions, consider context, and develop interpretations supported by evidence. For me, this kind of engagement reflects an essential dimension of curatorial practice: creating exhibitions that can serve as platforms for inquiry across disciplines. The gallery becomes more than a place to encounter art. It becomes a space where educators can identify new ways to connect ideas, invite critical thinking, and deepen students' engagement with the world around them.
Reflection: Curatorial Practice in Motion
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Chess, Not Checkers brought together several dimensions of my practice: curatorial research, exhibition development, institutional coordination, and public engagement. It challenged me to consider not only how artworks could communicate with one another within an exhibition, but also how a curatorial framework could generate opportunities for learning, dialogue, and participation beyond the gallery. The experience reinforced my belief that exhibitions can function as platforms for critical inquiry. Through the relationships among artworks, the questions they raise, and the experiences created around them, a gallery can invite audiences to reconsider familiar narratives, examine competing perspectives, and recognize connections across disciplines and communities. The project also deepened my interest in the relationship between curatorial vision and the infrastructure required to bring that vision into being. Meaningful exhibition-making depends on more than selecting and interpreting artworks. It requires thoughtful planning, collaboration, resourcefulness, and an understanding of how institutional environments shape what becomes possible. Looking ahead, I am interested in extending this approach through new institutional partnerships, international curatorial projects, interdisciplinary programming, and consulting that helps cultural organizations develop more ambitious and responsive exhibition experiences. My work is guided by a continuing question: How can we create exhibitions that do more than present art, inviting people to think differently, engage more deeply, and imagine new possibilities?