Gia M. Hamilton is an applied anthropologist who employs Social Magic™ methodology to investigate land, labor and cultural production while examining social connectivity within institutions and communities. As a model builder, Hamilton co-founded an independent African centered school, Little Maroons in 2006; later, she opened a creative incubator space- Gris Gris Lab in 2009 and designed and led the Joan Mitchell Center artist residency program in New Orleans as a consultant from 2011- 2013 and director from 2013-2018.
As the Center Director, Hamilton led the development of the two acre campus capital project using a workforce development project HyperLocal and designed the program as a place based, community centered laboratory for visual artists, curators and the creative community with the belief that imagination and creativity are paramount to creating a more equitable and socially just society. Currently, Gia is the architect of her latest projects: Afrofuture Society and Dark Matter Projects. In 2019 she became the Executive Director and Chief Curator of the New Orleans African American Museum.
Hamilton received her bachelors in cultural anthropology from New York University and masters in applied anthropology from City University of New York’s Graduate Center. She is on the board of Alliance for Artist Communities and Museum Hue advisory board. Hamilton recently received the 2022 Andy Warhl Foundation curatorial fellowship, the 2022 Hospitality leader award from City Business, the 2018 Next City Vanguard fellowship and was nominated for the 2018 City Business Woman of Year award. Gia currently lives in New Orleans with her five sons and daughter. Her current practice can be explored by visiting her website www.giahamiltonstudio.com
