This is a partial list of curatorial statements from past UVA educational exhibitions. For more information, click on the exhibition title or the curator. All UVA exhibits, including the curatorial statements and exhibition titles are copyright and may not be reused without written permission of Unbound Visual Arts.
New Narratives: Reclaiming Asian Identity Through Story
Organized and presented by Unbound Visual Arts
Curator: Leslie Anne Condon
How we define the terms “Asian” and “Asian American” in the United States is often driven by our visual and popular culture. Over the span of only a few generations, the meaning of these terms has continued to evolve, heavily influenced by changing immigration patterns, academic scholarship, the National Census Bureau, and domestic policy. The unique histories of our respective ancestral lands (East, South, and Southeast Asia), shaped by war, Imperialism, Colonialism, and more recent tensions, further complicate the concept of identity within our communities. Many of us, our parents, and our grandparents, came to the States seeking new opportunities, only to face racism, xenophobia, anti-Asian rhetoric, and discriminatory legal practices. While much progress has been made in recent decades to overcome such notions as the Model Minority Myth, we continue to push for more authentic, comprehensive, and nuanced representation within all facets of American society. Through this reclamation, we actively empower ourselves and reinforce our sense of agency within the greater community. New Narratives: Reclaiming Asian Identity Through Story features forty artworks by twenty-five Boston-area Asian artists who are exploring aspects of their identity through their art, as well as Asian culture and narrative informed by personal experience. Whether the work is referencing the self and body, sexuality and gender, or intergenerational conflict and healing within the Asian community, each artist brings their distinctive perspective to the exhibition through unexpected visuals and contemporary techniques. Collectively, the exhibition offers a partial glimpse rather than a sweeping overview of the many complex issues that Asians and Asian Americans navigate daily as part of our lived realities. It also reflects, in some part, the complex and evergrowing iterations of Asian identity that continue to emerge from every corner of the Greater Boston area. These creative gestures are at once expressions of pain and resiliency, resistance, and celebration.
The Waste Land on Earth?
Directed by John Quatrale Guest Curator: Caitlin Bowler Exhibition Assistants – Alexandra Rugg, Peter Ferraro, Brianna Gilmore, Rachel Hargreaves, Mathew Gorab, Evelyn Markham
View the artwork in this exhibition
Curator’s Statement:
Exhibition Summary: The Waste Land on Earth? explores the impacts of a culture built on a constant cycle of consumption on landscapes and communities. Artists respond in different ways to a world shaped by this disposable mindset.
Exhibition Sub-Themes: Still Lives with Big Mac, Material Landscapes, Reclaimed Landscapes, Prophetic Landscapes, Emotional Landscapes, Stitched Meditations, Trash? Dirt? Who says?, Transformations, Changing Relationships to Materials, Advocacy & Awareness, Imagining New Futures
Full Curatorial Statement: Does it spark joy?
In the face of chaotic clutter in our homes, Japanese organizing guru Marie Kondo instructs us to mouth those words to each object we encounter. Address a jade vase or a yard sale racket set and really we are addressing the kami, or divine life, embodied in each object. No joy? Kondo advises us to respectfully toss it to the curb.
Modernity delivered cheap goods that made consumers feel rich, and the accompanying throwaway attitude still delivers a kind of freedom[RE1] . Why care when you can throw it away? However, a cavalier attitude toward the production of stuff, followed by its swift disposal, has turned parts of our world into a wasteland of trash heaps. Kondo’s approach soothes individuals’ symptoms, but does not resolve the underlying collective illness.
The artists featured in The Waste Land On Earth? respond to a world shaped by this mindset of disposability. Their work reflects on our complicated relationships to the culture of stuff, the impact systems of production and distribution have on our shared landscape, and our changing relationships to the natural world.
Several painters depict urban landscapes around Boston, both gritty and lush, and incorporate found material scraps to provide texture and a physical dimension to their works. Others conjure portentous emotional landscapes borne of environmental catastrophe. One artist skewers fast food culture through art historical parody; another explores how the categories labeled “dirt” can be fluid, even as the language confers set values on those it describes.
A number of artists have transformed discarded materials and objects into provocative imagery. Others explore how humans’ relationship to the natural world continue to evolve in response to technological advances, urban development, and environmental stresses. Some offer visions of alternative futures, where the earth and all its inhabitants can thrive.Several works speak directly to the links between consumer desire, environmental degradation, and exploitation of vulnerable communities–the disposable among us.
Collectively, the artists and their work justify the question mark in the title of this exhibition. Their thoughtful and imaginative practices suggest we do not have to accept the damning statement: The Waste Land On Earth. Rather, we can imagine other, healthier futures, let those visions spark joy, and fight together to bring them to life.
Peace in Her Time: Visionary Women Against War and Violence
Directed by John Quatrale, Brenda Gael McSweeney, PhD, advisor; Guest Curator: Susan Janowsky Designer: Matthew Gorab; Exhibition assistance – Evelyn Markham, Cody Hale, Yifeng (Alice) Liu, Simong (Anson) Luo
Women’s voices and actions, while often unheard and unseen, have been and will forever be instrumental in conflict resolution. Peace in Her Time stands to facilitate a dialogue around women’s role as nonviolent advocates and leaders. The exhibition takes place during National Women’s History Month for which the 2019 theme is “Visionary Women: Champions of Peace & Nonviolence.” The 2019 National Women’s History Project Honorees are peace activists, founders, community organizers, humanitarians, media hosts, CEOs, spiritual leaders, and suffragists. They are inspiring women who have championed peace and nonviolence and stand as role models to future generations of strong, powerful women. The work on display channels her spirit, her empowerment, her activism, her representation, and her peacemaking.
Pauline Lim’s paintings reflect on the current geopolitical situation and offer powerful truths with an imaginative twist. The work of Elizabeth Geers Loftis highlights Indigenous women and their underrepresentation in art forums. Peg Ehrlinger’s reflective portraits bring the stories of women from Syria, Russia, and India to life using painted glass and interview material. The 3D art of Alicia Dwyer speaks women’s perpetual battle with sexism. Photographs of peaceful protest illustrate contemporary female activism. 95% of the exhibit’s artists are female-identifying, each sharing herstory.
Battle of the Sexes Revisited: The Sexual Harassment Volley of Today
curated by John Quatrale, with with assistance by Brenda Gael McSweeney, PhD , Si Chen, Lauren McLean, and Emily Friedlander.
This exhibition is about how treating females differently than males oftentimes results in many forms of sexism, harassment, and assault. The art presents many of the “battle of the sexes” issues to encourage and facilitate a healthy dialogue about these forms of discrimination.
Misbehavior, sometimes sanctioned by law or custom, occurs in the family, at work and school, while socializing, while being in the community or just about anywhere. Though unwelcome physical contact has been recognized as illegal for some time, that behavior persists and results in abuse, assault and rape in every country. Non-physical behaviors have also been illegal in many nations as well, but those actions remain pervasive in many forms and in many arenas. But, what was once accepted as just “boys being boys” is now being challenged by the law and by women, declaring #MeToo.
The exhibition’s realistic and abstract fine art presents different subjects and emotions from the United States and the world to encourage the audience to interact and reflect on gender roles as reflected in public and personal interactions.
The exhibition takes place during Women’s History Month, for which the 2018 theme is “Nevertheless she persisted: honoring women who fight all forms of discrimination against women.”
Abigail Lee Goldberger: Fairtales & Enchantment curated by Lee Collilouri
Abigail Lee Goldberger is inspired by myths, nature, memories, folk art, children’s books, longing, science, and religion. Themes and stories begin to unravel as she layers multiple colors of oil paint onto the canvas. The balance of color and contrast contribute to the captivating mood, which is dreamlike and mysterious. Although the expressions in the characters are calm and the images are static, there is a sense of energy and movement in the whimsical and brave world that Abigail generates.
Address Unknown: Traces of Hope curated by Heidi Lee and Susan Loomis-Wing
Address Unknown: Traces of Hope represents hope and resiliency in the plight of homelessness. Each of the artists share an experience with homelessness and through their creativity, aspire to provoke the audience into thinking about the social conditions of the Boston community. By participating in the Common Art program offered by Ecclesia Ministries on Newbury Street in Boston, the artists have developed a sense of kinship and support, and it is revealed in their art. Having a network of supportive peers and possessing hope, can be important factors to both preventing and fighting chronic homelessness.
All Things Change curated by John Quatrale
The exhibition features the artwork of the founders of Unbound Visual Arts. The artwork presents many examples of how change is constant and inevitable for all people, animals, buildings, memories and all other man-made and natural things. Further, the artwork is a means to remember that nothing remains forever and that all change happens in the present, not the past or future. Some things change quickly while others may take a lifetime or more.
Anita Helen Cohen: till next Spring curated by Ira-Iliana Papadopoulou
The love of the flowers is the love of the real. It’s the celebration of nature’s beauty and splendor. Anita Helen Cohen‘s painting is here to remind us that the real can get magical in the blink of an eye, when it comes to the unexpected moves, the powerful colors and the poetic shapes of the flower world.
The exhibition features watercolors and pastels on archival and hand-made papers. The finesse of the chosen materials is underlining the fragile and exquisite nature of Cohen’s much treasured local and exotic botanical specimens.
In her sincere and uplifting floral “portraits” Cohen grasps “up close” the changing colors of the flowers in their magical moment of bloom. Placed in delicate abstract backgrounds her flowers stimulate our senses and make us want to smell, to touch, to recall memories of our own childhood gardens and to anticipate the moments of a future spring. Autumn is soon to be knocking at our door but, till next bloom, these natural wonders are kept alive and ravishing in Cohen’s paintings.
Beasts of Burden curated by Jane O’Hara
Our Complex Relationship with Animals: Throughout history animals have played an important role in our lives. Our relationship to them has always been a complex one. Humans have hunted and bred animals for food, feared them as predators, revered them as spiritual beings, enlisted them as laborers, sacrificed them in scientific experiments, and prized them as pampered pets. Featuring thirteen artists working in diverse media, this exhibition examines our complicated connections to these creatures. While those animals we consider our pets are assigned uniquely human qualities, other animals are simply considered commodities, justified solely by the fact they are members of another species. Exploring this duality, the work conveys a deep love of and respect for the animal kingdom, as well as a palpable sense of anxiety, guilt, and outrage regarding crimes perpetrated against animals.
Earned: Women in Business and Labor
curated by John Quatrale with assistance by Brenda Gael McSweeney, PhD and designed by Alexandra Kontsevaia Peterson
The United States has a long history of women in the paid workforce and in business. But, full inclusion ‘in the world of work’ and participation has taken almost three centuries for improvements to occur and for women to begin to achieve gender equality in participation and benefits. Those successes and achievements have included higher pay, job appreciation, better working conditions, more opportunities, and increased value to their local, state and national economies. Those changes were often the result of severe hardships and sacrifices by women of all races, nationalities, backgrounds, education, and regions. They challenged laws and regulations as well as social standards and stereotypes and organized women to change public opinion. As a result of that hard work and commitment, organizations and businesses began to slowly change all across the United States and in many nations and eventually they were codified progressive measures by governments. More women have now become empowered to contribute to their personal, family and community well-beings in the United States and throughout the world. These improvements are manifested in many areas of today’s society such as the family, corporations, education, sports, healthcare, arts and culture, and the military. Despite these changes, however, the rights and health of women continue to be threatened in the United States and internationally.
EPIC
curated by Sasha Goldman
EPIC surveys the engagement of contemporary artists with themes of the heroic and mythological. Bringing together local and regional artists who work across varying media, the exhibition depicts the epic narratives of heroism through the imagery of strength – both physical and cerebral. The artists included in EPIC share an interest in ancient forms and traditions and collectively seek to engage with the timeless theme of the hero through their contemporary practices.
The epic poems of the ancient Greek author Homer serve as a point of departure for our conception of the hero. But since Homer wrote those historic words, the role of the hero has evolved and changed so greatly that our modern image of heroism encompasses a vast expanse of figures. EPIC is an examination of these variations on the historic and a sampling of contemporary narratives
Marian Dioguardi: Coffee, Tea or Wonton?
curated by Karen Smigliani
East meets West by way of the European Bakery Café, Athan’s Brookline. Oil paintings in jellybean hues depict joyful still life scenes of coffee cups, saucers and moka pots reminiscent of Wayne Thiebaud and Andy Warhol. Heading East, across the gallery, we feast our eyes on paintings of packaged selections from a Chinese market. In lacquered reds and blacks with neon greens and pinks the scenes whisk us off to Chinatown with all of its visual allure.
This is contemporary work that I hesitate to refer to as “still” life since the paintings possess so much energy. The objects vibrate with color and personality, seeming to socialize on the canvas. Reflections dance off the fruity Jell-O and twinkle from the moka pots, all in juicy hyper-color. This show will perk up a cloudy autumn day and cure wintertime blues.
Rejuevenation
curated by John Quatrale and designed by Karen Smigliani
Delve into the life cycle of six historic Allston-Brighton landmarks through the latest curated exhibition Rejuvenation, presented by the Harvard Ed Portal’s Crossings Gallery and local non-profit Unbound Visual Arts (UVA). Through mixed media works by local artists, this exhibition surveys properties in the neighborhood that have gone through a cycle of birth, deterioration, and abandonment or renewal. The works explore parallel processes of rejuvenation in human life and ask how the past and future affect the present.
Allston-Brighton is home to five sites recognized by the City of Boston as historic Landmarks. The Allston Depot, Chestnut Hill Reservoir and Pumping Stations, and Oak Square School have completed their re-use cycles. Saint Gabriel’s Monastery and the Charles River Speedway Administration Building remain in deteriorated condition but with new revitalization plans. Harvard Stadium is the only National Historic Landmark.
Olympic SPIRIT
curated by John Quatrale with assistance by Ira-Iliana Papadopoulou
This exhibition of representational and conceptual works of art is about the intense spirit reflected in and associated with the Olympic Games and its various manifestations in life such as commitment, cooperation, courage, determination, inspiration, passion, and perseverance. These personal, physical, and psychological qualities and emotions relate and transcend the spirit associated with the Olympics as well as the goodwill of the international participants. This spirit does not always result in “victory” in the Olympics or in life, but the journey to achieve a goal is oftentimes the real accomplishment.
The arts have always played an important role in the Olympics. Beginning with the early Greek Olympics starting in 776 BCE and lasting 1400 years, artists captured the glory and the athletic achievements on clay, on walls, and in drawings. Then, in the first half of the 20th century, artists competed for medals by creating works of art that were motivated by the sporting endeavors and the Olympic ideals. For over 120 years, the modern Olympics has been striving to bring about world cooperation, education, and peace through athletic competition. Those principles have always been at the heart of the games, held every 2 years but not always successfully achieved. Many political, economic and religious differences and conflicts have often overshadowed the goals but nonetheless the games have continued to bring men and women together from almost every nation on earth. The five rings of the official Olympics flag represent the five main continents of the world while the colors (black, green, red, yellow and blue) of the rings represent all the nations of the world.
Song Cycles
curated by Julia Ryan
A song cycle is an intentional progression of songs, most often converging on a singular theme. In a way, this exhibition is just that: the works vary in media and style, however, through a continuous theme of music we find fresh ways to represent one form of fine art through another.
A technique commonly employed in song cycles is called word painting. Word painting communicates the meaning of words through musical expression, often by variations of pitch. For example: A vocalist sings about undulations in the sea while her voice moves up and down. Utilized throughout time, word painting aides the listener to envision narrative in a form of fine art devoid of visual expression.
This exhibition aims to explore this practice in reversal, in hopes of examining the relationship between different forms of artistic expression. How can visual art use symbols, color, texture and form to create a dialogue on the subject of music?
Temptation of the Mind and Body
curated by Kayla Spafford
You see a chocolate cake at your friend’s birthday party and try to resist taking a piece. You cave in and it was gratifying to do so until you realize how many calories it has. You feel guilty, but why? We live in a culture of temptation with hedonistic values and yet we are expected to resist.
When we are tempted we respond to the prefrontal cortex and the regulation of responses from the rest of our brain. People who are not able to self-regulate have higher chances of addiction. Those who have disciplined themselves long enough to resist temptation have long-term plans in achieving their goals.
We associate our temptations with negative consequences but good can come out of these desires. We are able to reflect upon what is important to us and build upon our personal values.
The artwork shown depicts these themes though visual narrative. The mind, brain, and body are figuratively and abstractly represented.
Unlimited
curated by John Quatrale
An exhibition that includes sculptural artworks by artists of the Boston Sculptors Gallery – Caroline Bagenal, Murray Dewart, Mags Harries, Michelle Lougee, Andy Moerlein and Nora Valdez. It interprets, explores and presents concepts related to “unlimited” lives. The art was selected to interpret, explore and present themes and concepts related to living unbounded lives. Like life these works are simple and complex and capture many forms, shapes, sizes, materials, patterns and connections. They are all a potential means to contemplate what a life without limits means to each of us. They are vehicles to develop our ideas of the potential of the boundless, which can be a path to abundance, happiness and prosperity. By trusting our abilities and instincts to aspire to new heights our lives can be passion-driven and more meaningful. You are invited to experience these works of art. Do any of them resonate with you by suggesting a challenge or fear in your unlimited life? Are any new actions revealed or warranted?