Coreen Simpson: The Black Cameo Legend at NYC Jewelry Week 2026

Coreen Simpson discusses her groundbreaking jewelry career, Black Cameo Collection, and enduring creative legacy.
About this Event

Legendary jewelry maker, Coreen Simpson, will be sitting down with art historian and curator Sebastian Grant to discuss her career in design. Also known for her groundbreaking work in photography, Simpson has also been a major force in black jewelry making, especially in the creation of the Black Cameo Collection, her most definintive brand. Come join us as we delve into her early forays into jewelry making, her incorporation of her early jewelry into the fashion world, and the enduring legacy of her phenomenal career.

A small reception will be after the artist talk featuring Black Cameo's for sale and copies of Coreen Simpson: A Monograph. Food and drinks will be provided by the museum.

NYCJW26: November 16–22, 2026

Each November, NYC Jewelry Week presents The Week, a seven-day celebration of jewelry and the people, ideas, and craftsmanship behind it. NYCJW26 brings together a global audience for a dynamic mix of in-person and virtual experiences across New York City and beyond.

Explore the full , featuring exhibitions, shopping experiences, retail collaborations, talks, panels, workshops, demonstrations, tours, and more. Virtual programs will be streamed on YouTube, while in-person events offer opportunities to engage directly with artists, designers, curators, collectors, and other members of the jewelry community.

With many programs free and open to the public, NYC Jewelry Week invites everyone—from longtime jewelry enthusiasts to those just beginning to explore the field—to discover the artistry, ideas, histories, and craftsmanship that make jewelry so compelling.

Join us for NYCJW26, November 16–22, 2026.

Contributors

Sebastian Grant is a curator, professor, and art historian, specializing in Art Jewelry and Afro-Diasporic art. He received his bachelor’s at McGill University and his master's in the Parsons History of Design and Curatorial Studies Program. He has curated exhibitions including Douriean Fletcher: Jewelry of the Afrofuture at the Museum of Arts and Design, and The Story Makers at Gallery Loupe in Montclair. In 2022 Grant received The American Craft Council's Lois Moran Award for Craft Writing.

Coreen Simpson is a photojournalist and jeweler who covered fashion collections in Paris and New York. Her images have appeared in Vogue, Essence, The New York Times, and The Village Voice. Her work is also in the permanent collections at the Museum of Modern Art, The Bronx Museum, and The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. In 1982, Ms. Simpson began designing and creating jewelry leading to her signature piece The Black Cameo, which was launched in 1990.

The Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA) celebrates the cultural breadth of the African diaspora by connecting the intersectional experiences of African people worldwide through the lens of art, education, and advocacy. Born in 1999, MoCADA grew from the graduate thesis of our founder Laurie Angela Cumbo on the feasibility of an African art museum contributing to neighboring communities. Twenty-five years later, MoCADA is more than a museum, it is a place of representation.