Black, Queer, and Untold: A Book Launch with Jon Key

Join us for a conversation with artist and designer Jon Key in celebration of the Philadelphia launch of his book . Inspired by Key’s formative upbringing in the South and his educational experiences in graphic design, Black, Queer & Untold invites us to consider how identity could be archived in a design canon that has consistently erased contributions by designers who were not white, straight, and male and pays tribute to the incredible designers, artists, and people who came before.

The program will begin with a selected reading by Key who will then be joined in conversation by graphic designer Nijel Taylor, artist Qualeasha Wood, and Rachell Morillo, ICA’s DAJ Director of Public Engagement and Research. A light reception and book signing will follow the conversation.

This program sits in dialogue with (on view through April 6, 2025) at the intersections of art, identity, and design.

Virtual viewing for this program will be available soon.

Live captioning and ASL interpretation will be provided for this program.

ICA is committed to creating a welcoming environment for all visitors. For more notes on accessibility including accessible parking nearby visit our Accessibility landing page. If you require any accessibility accommodations or have any questions about the program, please contact Brittany Clottey ([email protected]).

Jon(athan) Key is an artist, designer, and writer originally from Seale, Alabama. After receiving his BFA from RISD, Jon began his design career at Grey Advertising in NYC before moving on to work with HBO, Nickelodeon, and The Public Theater. Now he is co-founder of the Brooklyn–based design studio Morcos Key with Wael Morcos. As an educator, Jon has taught at MICA, Parsons, and currently teaches at Cooper Union and SVA. Jon is also a Co-Founder and Design Director of Codify Art, a multidisciplinary collective dedicated to creating, producing, supporting, and showcasing work by artists of color, particularly women, queer, and trans artists of color. Jon was selected for Forbes 30 under 30 Art and Style list for 2020 and was the Frank Staton Chair in Graphic Design at Cooper Union 2018-2019. His work has been featured in Jeffery Deitch Gallery NYC, the Armory Show, The New York Times, and The Atlantic. Jon holds an MA in Design Research, Writing and Criticism from SVA. His writing has been featured in publications such as The Washington Post, The Black Experience in Design and AIGA.

Nijel Taylor has led the transformation of major brands across multiple industries throughout the last decade. As an accomplished creative director, designer and strategic consultant, Nijel understands not only how to quickly generate great ideas, but also how to develop them with rich storytelling and strategic insight. He is adept at setting logo design, color, photo art direction, illustration, typography, and 2D animation. With his can-do attitude and creativity, he loves to develop nothing but the best ideas for clients, from start to finish. As a champion of DEI, he deeply knows the value voices from all backgrounds can contribute to the design process. He believes being collaborative, curious, even-keeled, and efficient makes for positive and timeless work. He passionately sees design as a tool to engage others and create meaningful change. Through his projects, Nijel aims to create work that resonates with a diverse range of audiences and pushes the potential of branding. Partnering and contributing to the work of powerhouse creative agencies such as Lippincott, Trollbäck+Company, Superunion, and Siegel+Gale, Nijel has had the fortune of collaborating to transform and reimagine notable iconic brands such as Taco Bell, MTV International, The NFL Network, and Sesame Workshop. Nijel received his BFA from The University of the Arts, where he graduated as the Valedictorian with honors in Graphic Design. He has taught Motion Design at Kean University and actively mentors industry talent. His work has been recognized by design publications such as GDUSA, Logo Lounge, Graphis and recently Graphic Design Solutions Edition 6, as well as Strategic Creativity – both by creative author, Robin Landa. In 2022 he had the distinct honor of being a design jury member for The One Club for Creativity: Young Guns 20.

Qualeasha Wood (b. 1996, Long Branch, NJ) lives and works in Philadelphia, PA. She received her BFA in 2019 from the Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI, and her MFA in 2021 from Cranbrook Academy of Fine Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI. Wood is an interdisciplinary artist whose work contemplates realities around Black female embodiment, both existing and imagined. Inspired by familial relationships to textiles, queer craft, Microsoft Paint, and internet avatars, Wood’s video, tapestry, and tufted pieces integrate traditional craft, performance, and contemporary technological materials. Her own image acts as a point of departure for works exploring racial, sexual, and gender identities as they intersect with the Black femme body. Recently, Wood was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 (2025) and CULTURED’s Young Artists List (2024). Her upcoming exhibition, Malware, marks her second international solo show at Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, London. From 2021 to 2022, Wood was an artist in residence at The Studio Museum in Harlem, NY. Her work is included in prominent collections such as the Art Institute of Chicago, IL; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY; The Rennie Collection, Vancouver, Canada; The Rhode Island School of Design Museum, Providence, RI; The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York, NY; Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, CA; and The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX.

Programming at ICA is made possible in part by the Emily and Jerry Spiegel Fund to Support Contemporary Culture and Visual Arts and the Lise Spiegel Wilks and Jeffrey Wilks Family Foundation. Public and Student Engagement at ICA is supported by the Bernstein Public Engagement Fund, Suzanne Weiss Doft & Jacob W. Doft, Stacey & Robert Goergen Jr., Hilarie L. & Mitchell Morgan, the Nash Family Foundation, Joline & David Stemerman, and by Dana McDonald Strong & Mark W. Strong.

Host or Publisher Institute of Contemporary Art