THE NAMES I CARRY

BY AVERY BROWN-RENFRO

January 16, 2026

This project began with names.

Names that carry history, teaching, lineage, and love.

Brown Renfro is my first curated exhibition, and it brings together the work of my grandfather Leon Renfro and his former student Bruce Brown. One was the professor. One was the student. And I step into this space as the curator, carrying both of their names forward.

I never had the chance to meet my grandfather, but I grew up intrigued by his work and the presence it held in my life. As I began researching him more deeply, I realized how much of his story deserved care, context, and visibility. That curiosity became intention.

This exhibition is about honoring where I come from, acknowledging the relationships that shaped Black art and education, and inviting others into that story. It is personal. It is inherited. And it is alive.

This is Brown Renfro.

The exhibit.

The Professor, The Student, The Curator