Narsiso Martinez, Always Fresh, 2018, ink, charcoal, gouache, gold Leaf, collage and multiple small oil on canvas paintings on reclaimed produce boxes, 92.5 x 278 inches, Courtesy of the artist and Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles. © 2018 Narsiso Martinez ; Photo by ĢƵPhoto Services.
At The Table, is inspired by ĢƵ's 2023-24 campus theme of Community and
Belongingness and ties in with recent conversations in our community about the importance of having one’s voice heard and being given a seat at the table.
Featuring numerous nationally known artists, the exhibition brings together contemporary
works of art from the 1980s to the present that explore ideas of community, power,
and representation through their depiction or use of a “table.” Everything from the
kitchen table and conference room table to the concept of having “a seat at the table”
is offered as food for thought in this exhibition. Tying the artists together is how
they use this idea of the “table” to signify a place where people come together in
connection, endure and overcome injustice, and make decisions that can change an individual
life or the course of humanity.
Sandy Skoglund, Fox Games, 1989, cibachrome color print, 46.375 x 62.75 inches, Collection of the Lowe Art Museum, University of Miami. © Sandy Skoglund
Much of the artwork in At The Table is on loan from museums and galleries across the country, including artwork by Donna Ferrato, Jacqueline Hassink, Beth Lipman, Narsiso Martinez, Elizabeth Murray, Charles F. Quest, Cara Romero, and Sandy Skoglund. Other works are drawn from private collections or the ĢƵFine Art Museum’s own permanent collection, including significant works by Heather Mae Erickson, Roger Shimomura, Hollis Sigler, and Bob Trotman. In addition to visual artists, the exhibition incorporates verse by poet laureate Joy Harjo and a project celebrating Black history by Danielle Daniels and Amanda Ballard.
The artists represented in the exhibition use the recurring motif of the table to open up a dialogue on a range of contemporary issues, including the disenfranchisement of agricultural laborers, the need for amplifying underrepresented voices in history, the struggle for power over one’s body, and the threat of nuclear holocaust, among many other topics
Bob Trotman, Big Hedy, 1998, carved and painted wood, 34 x 39 x 22.5 inches. © Bob Trotman
Museum Hours
The ĢƵFine Art Museum exhibitions and events are free and open to the public. Standard
Museum hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10AM-4PM, and Thursday, 10AM-7PM. If you
have any questions, please call (828)227-ARTS.
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