I thought I would share our Assistant Director, Michele Horn’s, statement about our exhibit, Raw Identity that premieres tonight from 6-8pm here at the Museum. Michele curates all of the exhibits here at the Museum and truly has a flair for bringing together artists that are vastly different yet remarkably complimentary. This exhibit is no different.
We document identity as a society through the various forms of portraiture that make up the fabric of our lives. Many of these moments we’d prefer were not documented– the dreaded grade-school portrait, the gritty & unrefined driver’s license, even an identification badge at your place of employment. These veritable mugshots can cause us to negatively reflect or provide static images of our own identities. Other moments of polished portraiture, stylized and thematic still-life settings of family, weddings, and baby portraits might reveal the identities we wish to present. In our technological world, we communicate through and sometimes behind chosen identity profiles on Facebook or Myspace. Stylized images, candid photo shots, and formal poses are choices we as individuals make to represent our identity. Encounter the works of artists Harry McDaniel, JJ Ohlinger, and Doug VandeZande as they deconstruct traditional portraiture to reveal a raw identity beneath.
Interesting, right? Something that might pull you away from your couch on a fairly cold and rainy Friday. Allow you to reflect on your own identity as you look at these art pieces– how do you present yourself? How might you like to present yourself to the big, bad world? Do you present yourself differently at work? At home? In the public eye? Just a few questions to think about before you come on out to the premiere tonight.
(remember, it’s from 6-8pm right here at the Museum, is FREE, and offers FREE beverages & food, live music, and ART!)
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