Ja'nell Ajani

Ja’nell N. Ajani is a doctoral candidate in the American Studies Department at the University of Texas at Austin. With an emphasis on the estates of Black and Brown artists, Ajani’s research focuses on the amorphous boundary between art, commerce, and artistic legacies.

As a curator, cultural content producer, and the Co-Founder of BASQUIAT: Still Fly @55 Project, Ajani spearheaded a symposium that explored the consumption and commodification of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s work, life, and legacy.

Through the development of public programs, Ajani seeks to create opportunities for bold voices that are committed to elevating conversations about art, media, history, and popular culture. She has partnered with the MoMA, Time Square Arts, SXSW, Austin Film Festival, The Brooklyn Museum, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, WBAI Radio 99.5 FM NYC, the Studio Museum of Harlem, and NYU.