CreativeJunkFood Celebrates D.C. Through Go-Go Music And Marion Barry History

The two projects pay tribute to two D.C. staples, Go-Go music and late mayor, Marion Barry.

CreativeJunkFood, a Black-owned multimedia Creative Studio, has announced the launch of two projects celebrating the culture and legacy of Washington, D.C.

CreativeJunkFood unveiled one of the years-long projects, the Go-Go Museum, Nov. 18. The exhibit pays tribute to the music style founded and popularized in the nation’s capital. The establishment also features a roll call wall and stairwell, incorporating branding and technology into the immersive space with museum founder, Ron Moten.

“It’s amazing to be a part of both projects,” said Candice Taylor, co-founder of CreativeJunkFood, in a statement to BLACK ENTERPRISE. “Through the Go-Go Museum, we can dive deep into what go-go means as an art form and how to properly express it in an exciting way.”

Before the museum opened to the public, a Go-Go bus was created to also build the hype and celebrate D.C.’s rich artistic history. The mobile experience broadcasted the then-upcoming museum’s offerings and exhibits, while also having a stage on top.

CreativeJunkFood’s second venture was the Marion Barry Legacy Public Arts Project, named in honor of the city’s late mayor. Upon approval by the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the creative studio partnered with the Marion Barry Legacy Jr. Foundation to bring the project into fruition.

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“Through the Marion Barry Legacy Public Arts Project, we can get a real feel for what Mayor Barry accomplished in his life and how we can still live, grow, and thrive in our city because of him,” added Taylor.

The space features a mural and interactive kiosks alongside a sculpture of Barry. The long-time activist and political leader died in 2014, but remains celebrated for his wide-ranging impact on the city. The installation will also open to the public on Nov. 23.

As for CreativeJunkFood, the ability to bring these two projects to life for the D.C. community has been a “full circle moment” for the homegrown studio.

“It feels like a full circle moment to be leading these two major projects,” said Nabeeh Bilal, co-founder of CreativeJunkFood. “With the Go-Go Museum, I’ve known Ron Moten since I was 11, so to be working with him to design the museum is a great feeling. Mayor Marion Barry lived two blocks down the street from me in Southeast. I’d see him jogging in the mornings as a kid, and to be entrusted with the project that honors his legacy is beyond incredible.”