Experimental Curator: The Sally Dixon Story

Join us in the Carnegie Museum of Art Theater for a screening of Experimental Curator: The Sally Dixon Story, a documentary that delves into the life of film curator Sally Dixon, followed by a panel discussion led by filmmaker Brigid Maher with art historian Cash Ragona and archivist Emily Davis. Before the screening, Bill Judson will give a brief introduction providing expanded context into the documentary.

Dixon’s story began in the 1960s when she received a small hand-held movie camera from her father-in-law and started making films that she later called “film poems.” Dixon is known as a trailblazer in the “film as art” movement and created the film program at Carnegie Museum of Art in 1970. She founded the program with the purpose of “promoting a greater understanding and appreciation of film as an art form and the filmmaker as an artist.” Carnegie Museum of Art’s film program was one of the first museum-based film programs in the country.

This screening is pay what you wish; museum admission is not included. No is registration required to attend.

About the Panelists:

Brigid Maher
Brigid is an award-winning documentary filmmaker focusing on women, from women’s issues in the Middle East to women’s health and beyond. She is a tenured associate professor in the School of Communication at American University. She is also a Senior Fellow at the Community Voice Lab at American University and Founder and Creative Director of the Anacostia Youth Media Festival.

Bill Judson
Film and Video curator at Carnegie Museum of Art from 1980-1996.

Cash Ragona
Associate Professor of Art History and Theory at Carnegie Mellon University.

Emily Davis
Project Archivist at Carnegie Mellon University.