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Seeing Differently

The Phillips Collects for a New Century

Centennial Exhibition

A very colorful abstract paper collage

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Digital Guide + Audio Tour

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Introduction to Seeing Differently: The Phillips Collects for a New Century

Real World History: The Great Migration

As part of Seeing Differently, the Phillips presents a project created in collaboration with high school students in Center for Inspired Teaching’s Real World History class. Using Jacob Lawrence’s Migration Series as a springboard for conversations about the legacy of the Great Migration and the universal theme of struggle in the world today, the students conducted oral histories of individuals who moved from the South to Washington, DC, prior to 1970, and also wrote responses for the panels in The Migration Series.

Learn more about the project


Exhibition Catalogue

Seeing Differently is accompanied by a major exhibition catalogue (The Phillips Collection in association with Giles, 2021), edited by Senior Curator Elsa Smithgall. This richly illustrated book includes an opening essay by Vradenburg Director & CEO Dorothy Kosinski; artist conversations with John Edmonds, Whitfield Lovell, Alyson Shotz, and the late David C. Driskell; 11 thematic essays by scholars across disciplines; and object responses by notable contributors. 

Available in the Museum Shop


Exhibition Support

Seeing Differently: The Philips Collects for a New Century is organized by The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC.

The exhibition and its publication are generously supported by a lead gift from the Henry Luce Foundation.

Henry Luce Foundation logo

With significant contributions from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, Charles McKittrick, Jr., the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the Ednah Root Foundation, the Frauke de Looper Trust, and the Robert and Arlene Kogod Family Foundation

National Endowment for the Humanities, DC Commission on Arts and Humanities, and National Endowment for the Arts logos

Made possible by the Carolyn Alper Fund for Contemporary Art and The Phillips Collection’s Exhibitions Endowment Fund, which is generously supported by the Sherman Fairchild Foundation, Michelle and Glenn Engelmann, Robert and Debra Drumheller, and The Marion F. Goldin Charitable Fund

Additional support provided by Sam and Ruth Alward, Barbara Brown Hawthorn, Helen and David T. Kenney, and Ronald Stern and Elisse Walter

Special thanks to our key academic partner, University of Maryland, a global leader in research, entrepreneurship, and innovation

University of Maryland logo


Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this exhibition do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

In-kind contributions provided by

Farrow & Ball logo


The wall colors in the exhibition: Ammonite (No. 274), Cabbage White (No. 269), Cook’s Blue (No. 237), Cornforth White (No. 228), Down Pipe (No. 26), Inchyra Blue (No. 289), Lamp Room Gray (No. 88), Paean Black (No. 294), Pavilion Gray (No. 242), Peignoir (No. 286), Pointing (No. 2003), Railings (No. 31), Red Earth (No. 64), Strong White (No. 2001), Wevet (No. 273)

Photograph of two people standing looking at a striped painting

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On The Experiment Station