McMillian (MFA 2002), whose multidisciplinary practice spans sculpture, painting, video and performance, examines how history and socioeconomic conditions shape belonging in the American South. He is one of 20 recipients of the 2026 fellowships, which carry an unrestricted $800,000 stipend and are awarded as an investment in recipients' originality and future work. The announcement also caps a notable 2026 for the artist, including the survey 'A Son of the Soil' at the Columbia Museum of Art and 'In Other Realms' at Capitain Petzel, Berlin.