Free event at BMA features readings from 'No Sense In Wishing' and new film
The museum's Thursday gathering will showcase works by Lawrence Burney and Ellis Marsalis III, pairing literary excerpts with a documentary about Baltimore's community memory.
By Tomas Gonzalez ·
Lawrence Burney will read from his debut essay collection, No Sense In Wishing, during a free public event at the Baltimore Museum of Art on Thursday evening. The book was selected for the state's One Maryland One Book 2026 shared reading initiative, a designation that follows praise from publications including The New Yorker, Kirkus, and New York Magazine. The event is scheduled from 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m., with doors opening at 6:00 p.m. at the museum's main campus.
The program centers on the intersection of local literature and visual history. Ellis Marsalis III, a photographer and author who also works under the name tp Luce, will join Burney for the session. Marsalis is the creator of Tha Bloc: Words, Photographs and Baltimore City in Black White and Gray, a 2004 photobook that documents the city's urban identity. His work serves as the primary narrative inspiration for the evening's featured film.
Attendees will view a special screening of Revisiting Ramona, a documentary currently in development and directed by Burney. The film explores the past, present, and future of a specific Baltimore community. It uses Marsalis's 2004 photobook as its central narrative axis, linking historical images to contemporary realities. Following the screening, both creators will engage in an open dialogue with the audience about their creative processes and the preservation of urban identity.
The event takes place within the context of the Flashback: Two Centuries of Baltimore Photography exhibition. The gathering is part of the museum's Violet Hour series, which is dedicated to culture, community memory, and local literature. Admission is free, though advance reservations are required through the museum's website, artbma.org.
The program is presented in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University's Undergraduate Writing Program and Maryland Humanities. These organizations partner with the museum to promote critical debate, collective reading, and the valuation of historical heritage through the arts. The event continues the museum's effort to connect contemporary creators with the city's documented history.
Source: Latin Opinion
