Reverend Joyce McDonald: Ministry

Tender and devotional figures in clay from an ordained minister and self-described testimonial artist

Born and based in Brooklyn, sculptor Reverend Joyce McDonald (born 1951) crafts moving testimonies to themes that have shaped her life: hope, grace and serenity, but also hardship, loss and devotion. As an ordained minister in the Church of the Open Door, spirituality and service are integral to McDonald's life and work. Her work often depicts figures in repose or embrace, embodying the strength, support and unconditional love that has sustained her life.
The first museum exhibition devoted to her work, Ministry surveys the McDonald's prolific output since the 1990s, bringing together early works in air-dry clay and found materials with recent glazed ceramics. It presents a nuanced view of McDonald's biography, incorporating archival materials that trace her family and upbringing in Brooklyn's Farragut houses as well as her decades of exhibiting art as a member of Visual AIDS. The catalog features critical essays by Kyle Croft, the exhibition's curator, and Jareh Das, as well as an interview with McDonald conducted by artist Rafael Sánchez.