Performance Piece by Junior Khalil McKnight Wins 2026 RISD Museum Dorner Prize

As visitors view work in the RISD Museum’s Grand Gallery, a seven-foot figure covered head to toe in black fabric quietly moves through the space, pausing to write in his notebook. He doesn’t speak or interact with anyone; he simply observes. “He’s seen and not heard in a way that puts power into action,” explains project creator Khalil McKnight 27 PT. 

In The Observer, McKnight dresses in a garment made from repurposed black hoodies inspired by Egungun (West African) and New Orleans masquerade traditions. The performance piece won the 2026 Dorner Prize, a juried competition organized by the RISD Museum supporting RISD student artists in the creation of site-specific work. Established in 1995, the competition offers a cash prize of $800 along with implementation funds up to $1,000. 

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“Each year, the Dorner Prize opens a space for RISD students to deeply explore museum practices, spaces, and visitor experiences,” said Director of Public Programs Deb Clemons. “Khalil’s work carries a quiet intensity. It asks us to slow down, to notice our own presence, and to reflect on how we encounter one another within these shared spaces.”

During his artist talk at the museum in April, McKnight reflected on his childhood as part of the inspiration behind this work. He remembered when his mother pleaded with him not to wear a hoodie, and if he did, to wear the hood down. “When a hoodie is placed on a Black body, it’s often linked to criminality,” he said, referencing an interview with Claudia Rankine about her book Citizen: An American Lyric, which inspired him. “I’m reclaiming the material and putting a power in it that wasn’t there before.”

Though studying in the Painting department at RISD, McKnight challenged himself to use a different medium for this project. He has held multiple performances in the Grand Gallery dressed as The Observer. “In a world where media is constantly being censored, I realized how crucial it is to speak up, utilize the power of words, and offer an oppositional gaze,” he explains. 

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McKnight says that he gravitates towards contemporary works by Black or Caribbean artists. When walking through spaces like the Grand Gallery, he keenly feels the absence of work by Black artists and has a hard time relating to Renaissance paintings by European artists. “I wanted to examine the relationship of Black and Brown bodies to museum spaces,” he explains. 

As he wrapped up his talk, he paid homage to his family. “I want to honor the Black women in my life: my mom and my sister,” he said. “Everything I do is always going to be for them. Their ability to make something out of nothing time and time again and the love they’ve given me has made me who I am today. I wouldn’t be at RISD if it wasn’t for them.”

McKnight’s final performance will take place in the RISD Museum’s Grand Gallery on May 14 at 6 pm. A temporary gallery display presenting The Observer will be on view in the Grand Gallery from May 5 through May 10, featuring the performance garment, interpretive materials, and complimentary zines McKnight created for visitors.

Kaylee Pugliese / Top photo by Melat Miranda-Ramirez
April 29, 2026