Well-known artists can become powerful characters in our lives, keeping us company through important and intimate moments. Pop Culture fans — especially those in Seattle — understand that losing an icon, particularly in a surprising or difficult way, often feels deeply personal. But are we mourning the full, complicated human being — or just the idea we had of them?

Nabilah Ahmed (she/her) is a multi-hyphenate artist with a background in theater, museums, media design, and production. She is a former MOPOP Museum Educator and has collaborated with many organizations in her various creative capacities, including Seattle Shakespeare Company, Book-It Repertory Theater, On the Boards, Seattle Modern Orchestra, Washington Ensemble Theater, and ArtsWest.

MOPOP’s Guest Curator Program highlights the voices of emerging curators as they share fresh interpretations of the museum’s permanent collection. In the fourth edition of MoPOP’s Guest Curator Program, Guest Curator Nabilah Ahmed examines the lives and deaths of beloved creatives and explores the question: How do we honor legendary figures with complex private lives?

Featuring artifacts and clothing from The Notorious B.I.G., Robin Williams, Kurt Cobain, and others.

Credit Line: Jumpsuit, boots, and gloves worn by Robin Williams as Mork from Ork in the television series Mork & Mindy, 1978 – 1982. MOPOP Permanent Collection