20 Years with Kyle Ragsdale, Christel DeHaan Curator
Kyle Ragsdale, Christel DeHaan Curator at the Harrison Center
Christel DeHaan was a longtime philanthropist in Indianapolis with a deep passion for life, people, art, music, and nature. We are honored to be one of 13 organizations chosen to receive a gift seeding an endowment. The new Christel DeHaan Fund for the Support of the Harrison Center will provide support in perpetuity for ongoing gallery exhibits, curatorial staff, and operating expenses.
The Harrison Center is pleased to name the senior curatorial position (held by Kyle Ragsdale) as the Christel DeHaan Curator. Not only is the Harrison Center excited that Ragsdale holds this title, we are also grateful to be celebrating 20 years of Ragsdale’s presence in the Harrison Center community.
After he attended graduate school, Ragsdale moved to Indianapolis as an emerging artist and painted out of his friend’s garage. A few years later, Executive Director Joanna Taft, invited Ragsdale to have a studio at the Harrison Center and to curate the Harrison Gallery. Ever since, Ragsdale has been an integral part of the Harrison Center and the broader Indianapolis community.
Ragsdale reflects on the early days of curating for the Harrison Gallery: “We started making art shows where everyone could feel comfortable and not too stuffy. It’s exciting to see people buy the first pieces of art they’ve ever bought at the Harrison Center.”
Community is at the heart of everything Ragsdale does–this is reflected in his personal life, artwork, and his role as curator. Ragsdale loves using curating to empower emerging artists: “One of my favorite things is finding people who are doing interesting things but aren’t yet showing their work. I like finding artists and connecting them to our audience.” Cultivating a thriving environment for artists is central to the Harrison Center and to what Ragsdale enjoys about his role. “One of the beautiful things about curating is the ability to serve artists and give them opportunities.”