NEW YORK, NY.- This fall, the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) presents the first major museum exhibition dedicated to jewelry artist Douriean Fletcher, whose work spans independent design, costume, and film. On view from October 4, 2025, to March 15, 2026, Douriean Fletcher: Jewelry of the Afrofuture centers Fletcher’s jewelry as a powerful narrative tool in art, identity, and visual storytelling.

Fletcher’s jewelry articulates Black identity, embodies spiritual meaning, and has helped define cinematic characters and imagined worlds. With over 150 works on view, the exhibition explores Fletcher’s evolution from self-taught metalsmith to a designer whose handmade adornments have shaped memorable aesthetics in contemporary cinema, most notably Marvel Studios’ Black Panther film franchise.

The artist’s practice exemplifies the ethos of Afrofuturism, a cultural movement that reclaims Black identity and history while envisioning egalitarian futures. Inspired by the storytelling traditions of Zulu beadwork, the ornate beauty of ancient Egyptian adornment, and the innovation of African American jewelers, Fletcher explores the use of symbolism in spiritual practice—reimagining and creating new talismanic forms that address personal and collective transformation. Fletcher’s oversized jewelry with narrative elements speaks to empowerment, spirituality, and intergenerational connection.

“My work channels Afrofuturism by honoring ancestral technologies while imagining new futures through adornment. Each piece is an energetic portal, rooted in a desire to remain connected to African cosmologies and designed to activate personal power, spiritual memory, and liberation across time,” said Fletcher.

The exhibition unfolds across three thematic sections: Fletcher’s formative years and studio practice; her breakout film and television work, including pieces designed for major motion pictures; and her current artistic explorations. Visitors will encounter elaborate brass and gold pieces inspired by ancestral traditions, iconic costume jewelry from blockbuster films, and Fletcher’s most recent works, including her collection for luxury department store Bergdorf Goodman.

A highlight of the exhibition is the jewelry Fletcher made for Queen Ramonda and the Dora Milaje from the blockbuster films Black Panther (2018) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022). These pieces, displayed with a selection of the films’ costumes by Academy Award–winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter, offer a behind-the-scenes look at how adornment defines character, advances world-building, and represents Black sovereignty on screen. Fletcher’s jewelry for television miniseries Roots (2016) and motion picture Coming 2 America (2021) also are featured. While working on Black Panther, Fletcher made history in 2016, becoming the first jeweler to be granted membership by the Motion Picture Costumer Union, IATSE Local 705.

Co-curated by professor and design historian Sebastian Grant and Barbara Paris Gifford, MAD’s Senior Curator of Contemporary Art, Craft, and Design, the exhibition includes process sketches, and behind-the-scenes imagery of Fletcher at work. Visitors will discover the references behind her designs, from a Maasai neckpiece to the structural experiments of Alexander Calder and Art Smith. The exhibition also features MAD’s first presentation of several ancient objects from Africa and Mesoamerica.

A dynamic schedule of public programs will accompany Douriean Fletcher: Jewelry of the Afrofuture, offering visitors hands-on, art-making experiences and deeper insight into the exhibition’s themes. On October 5, Fletcher will lead an intimate beading workshop focused on mindfulness and community-making through craft. A second artist-led, jewelry-making workshop, held on December 16, will explore techniques using soft metals. On November 20, co-curator and design historian Sebastian Grant will deliver a lecture on the intersection of jewelry and Afrofuturism. A virtual discussion between the artist and Anthony Francisco, former Senior Visual Development Artist for Marvel Studios, scheduled on February 26, will delve into the process of designing iconic super heroes. The exhibition’s film series features special screenings of Black Panther (December 18), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (January 8), and Coming 2 America (date TBD), each introduced by original video commentary from the artist.