Swan Strings presents Jess Garland

Dallas-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jess Garland brings her celestial blend of harp and guitar loops, avant-garde pop, and ethereal jazz to the Modern as part of the special exhibition Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers. A performer, filmmaker, and community arts leader, Garland has shared stages with Erykah Badu, The Suffers, and The Seratones, founded the nonprofit organization Swan Strings, and serves as Executive Director of Girls Rock Dallas.

This concert is free and open to the public.

Swan Strings Music Program is a 501c3 non-profit organization with a mission to provide free music education, community concerts, and sound therapy services to North Texan individuals without access.

Stage Events - Throughout the run of the special exhibition Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers, a site-specific stage located in front of the Modern’s auditorium will host both programmed performances and spontaneous activations. An artwork in its own right, Stage, 2026, features a powder-coated steel surface bearing Johnson’s signature marks, scratched and branded into the metal, aging and burnishing over time. This platform, where others can express themselves, emphasizes the reciprocal relationship between artist and audience, a central motif in the artist’s practice.

Inspired by Johnson’s early memories of dancing and performing with friends atop Carl Andre’s Post-Minimalist floor works at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, Stage is a testament to Johnson’s commitment to creating space for others. More than an invitation to engage and interact, the work fosters artistic endeavors and creativity as a collective experience.