The Dallas Museum of Art’s Contemporary Art Department has joined forces to create a powerful exhibition that highlights the complexities of visibility. The exhibition, titled after Deborah Roberts’ work of the same name, features 60 works of art by 50 diverse, intergenerational artists.
- The exhibition explores the vulnerabilities of the seen and unseen, inviting viewers to consider the power of visibility in shaping our understanding of the world.
- It also delves into the ways in which visibility can be used to challenge societal norms and promote inclusivity.
- Through its diverse and thought-provoking works, the exhibition aims to inspire a sense of empathy and understanding among its viewers.
The exhibition is on view through April 13 in the museum’s Barrel Vault and adjoining galleries, with each section curated by one of the four curators: Dr. Anna Katherine Brodbeck, Dr. Vivian Li, Ade Omotosho, and Veronica Myers. Opening Section: Vulnerabilities of the Seen and Unseen
Gerhard Richter’s 48 Portraits greets visitors with familiar faces of white men who were important public figures in politics, culture, and academia throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. In response, Samuel Levi Jones’s 48 Portraits (Underexposed) creates a visual history more inclusive of Black people.
“She takes some found footage from the Lime Kiln Field Day film from 1913, which was the first film to feature an all-black cast. It was a silent film, and she makes kind of stage vignettes that fill in the gaps of early Back American life that were not captured on film so we can tell richer stories,”
Dr. Anna Katherine Brodbeck, Hoffman Family Senior Curator of Contemporary Art at the Dallas Museum of Art, said about the film America by Garrett Bradley. The Scene
Myers, Curatorial Assistant for Contemporary Art and Asian Art, makes her curatorial debut with a section of works composed by queer artists. One of those artists is Dallas native Puppies Puppies (Jade Guanaro Kuriki-Olivo). The artist grew up in Plano as a closeted trans woman and credits visiting the Dallas Museum of Art as inspiration for what she could become.
- The section features works by queer artists, including Puppies Puppies, who creates a bronze cast on an engraved brass base, referencing her own body and identity.
- The artist’s work is a powerful statement about the importance of representation and visibility for closeted trans individuals.
Omotosho, The Nancy and Tim Hanley Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art, curates a section of work by Black artists working with found-object assemblage. Access, a later work of Noah Purifoy, shows how the artist took shoes, rims, sinks, and a shovel blade to create a sculpture that invites a different perspective on the Black community.
- The section explores the ways in which found-object assemblage can be used to challenge societal norms and promote inclusivity.
- Noah Purifoy’s work, Access, is a prime example of this approach.
Li, The Lupe Murchison Curator of Contemporary Art, explores history and immigrant experience through figuration with works primarily by BIPOC artists. Marisol’s Pocahantas is a lithograph based on the only portrait of the Native American made during her lifetime. In the 1616 portrait, Pocahantas is dressed in English clothing and her skin is lightened as an attempt to promote her as an example of Indigenous integration.
- The section delves into the ways in which representation can be used to challenge dominant narratives and promote inclusivity.
- Marisol’s Pocahantas is a powerful example of this approach.
The Barrel Vault merges the four curators’ theses, as envisioned by Brodbeck. This section features Cupboard, 2022, a recently acquired monumental gilt bronze sculpture by Simone Leigh. The full skirt references Africa’s architecture, the ceremonial clothing made of raffia, and the dome-like structure of the hut that became the European symbol of African continents.
Visibility is not just a physical presence, but also a metaphorical one. It is the ability to be seen and heard, to have one’s voice and experiences acknowledged and valued. In the context of this exhibition, visibility is a powerful tool for challenging societal norms and promoting inclusivity.
Representation is crucial in shaping our understanding of the world and our place within it. The exhibition highlights the importance of representation in promoting inclusivity and challenging dominant narratives. Through the works of diverse and intergenerational artists, the exhibition demonstrates the power of representation in creating a more just and equitable society.
The Dallas Museum of Art’s Contemporary Art Department has created a powerful exhibition that highlights the complexities of visibility. Through its diverse and thought-provoking works, the exhibition aims to inspire a sense of empathy and understanding among its viewers. The exhibition will be on view through April 13 in the museum’s Barrel Vault and adjoining galleries.
Do not miss this opportunity to experience the power of visibility and representation in art.
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