Nasher Sculpture Center’s Post

Super excited to announce my upcoming exhibition, “ S E E N, “ at L’Atelier Yaffe Gallery in Portland, Oregon! February 10 - April 6, 2024 111 NE MLK Jr Blvd, Suite 104, Portland, OR 97232 Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: Saturday, February 10, 2PM Artist Reception: Saturday, February 10, 3-8PM Conversation With The Curator: Saturday, February 17, 2PM L’Atelier Yaffe’s inaugural exhibition, titled S E E N, considers how creative spirits reveal their presence on their own terms. In today’s world, to be seen often means to be identifiable through perceptible ways of being. This type of characterization is often based on external contexts which indicate a physical presence or engagement. However, our identities are not limited to the digestible ways of being but usually exceed the perceptible expectations of those we engage with. The artists featured in this exhibition capture what it means to be seen on their own terms, all while rallying viewers to consider what it means to be seen by others in societal spaces. Contributing artists Ibrahem Hasan, Christopher Paul Jordan, Alim Ringgold, Samantha Wall, and SHAN Wallace use a range of materials and mediums to emphasize the dynamism of the communities they derive from and the necessity to be seen in order to find human and cultural connections. S E E N illuminates the underrepresented narratives of these artists, connects the nuanced realities of being Black and Brown, and recognizes the value in what we can see and what we do not, encouraging the latter to matter just as much. ttps://https://lnkd.in/gRUmS8y2

It's a positive shift to see more living individuals being commemorated in public sculptures. It's great to celebrate diversity and give recognition to talents that have been overlooked, especially among black men and women whose stories often go untold. Yet, as Art UK points out, the imbalance remains, with most public sculptures still depicting white men. It's an important reminder of the ongoing need to tackle historical inequalities and ensure the world around us reflects everyone's contributions. https://lnkd.in/dz-x4BgX.

Catch Struan Watson sharing some wisdom if you can!

Check out my review for Brummell Magazine of the new Royal Academy show 'Entangled Pasts, 1768-now, Art, Colonialism and Change' here:

Georgia O’Keeffe is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential modernist artists of the 20th century. Her innovative and groundbreaking style led her to be dubbed the Mother of American Modernism. Check out this article to learn about the life and legacy of Georgia O’Keeffe. #GeorgiaOKeeffe #art #artist #painter #modernart #americanart #arthistory #americanmodernism #arthinkal #arthinkalmagazine #SubstackNewsletter #substack

Recent findings from Art UK shed light on shifting trends in public sculpture. In 2023, more living individuals were commemorated than deceased ones, marking a significant departure from previous years. This shift, driven by a desire to celebrate diversity, underscores the evolving landscape of public art.    However, amidst this progress, challenges persist. The dominance of statues portraying white men remains prevalent, reflecting deep-seated historical imbalances. Moreover, while there has been a commendable increase in the depiction of black individuals, the representation of other ethnic minorities lags behind.  Read more about these findings here: https://lnkd.in/e_iGD5vF    #ArtisticExpression #DiversityMatters #PublicSculpture   

Digital humanities projects can extend the legacy of cultural heritage in part by making assets available to new audiences. That was my goal in the recently completed project, working with the estate of Varujan Boghosian to process, digitize, and exhibit selections of the late artist's work. Varujan Boghosian’s assemblages and collages—sometimes whimsical, sometimes brooding, and ceaselessly referential—dissociate images, objects, and language from their original contexts to establish and explore new associations and meanings. Stephanie Zambrana and I were tapped by the late artist’s family to retrieve and transport the artwork under the stewardship of his estate from gallery storage at the Robert Motherwell House to storage in New York City. There, the team captured the collection’s pertinent metadata and made images of most of the collection. With the artwork described and documented, we sought to create a digital exhibit to connect Boghosian’s motifs with new audiences and elevate awareness of his contributions to the art world. Utilizing the minimal computing digital exhibition software Wax, and under the guidance of Bryan Zehngut-Willits we built varujanboghosian.com, which we invite you to explore Boghosian's artwork through! (It is optimized for desktop or tablet but is functional on a mobile device.) I am honored to have had the opportunity to collaborate with my colleagues and the artist’s family to create this resource. It was a great way to wrap up 2023! #digitalhumanities #digitalexhibition #archives #collectionsmanagement #exhibition #webdevelopment #minimalcomputing #art #assemblage #collage

What a gorgeous painting Brian! In your Visual Art and our music together, your sense of the 'narrative' of life, the stories, social commentary and recognition of beauty in the apparently ordinary, fleeting moments of the everyday is always evident. As in this painting, you successfully imbue your work with empathy, poignancy, and atmosphere. https://lnkd.in/eSasgZiR

It is long past time to re-examine what is being taught in K-12 schools across the spectrum of courses: history, civics, government, social studies and economics. In my experience, most educators are interested in filling in the wide gaps in their knowledge of American society through a lens of historical context. But the systems are designed to protect the current false narratives in textbooks determined by school boards and state legislators. The efforts made outside of the schools to educate the population are numerous and needed. But they cannot undo the damage being done systemically in K-12. This is a system of indoctrination that must be disrupted.

Applications close April 30th