What is American art? You might picture vast landscapes or vibrant portraits. That question could inspire a variety of answers and make you realize that the designation of American art hasn’t always represented the range of stories and experiences in America. Taking that into consideration, “What is American art?” is the question the Seattle Art Museum asked as they set out on an extensive collaboration among their curators, staff, artists, and community advisors to present a new installation of their American art galleries.
American Art: The Stories We Carry aims to bring forward historically excluded narratives and artistic forms. The installation reinterprets SAM’s historical American art collection, which has mainly been comprised of works by artists of European descent, and brings it in conversation with Native, Asian American, African American, and Latinx art along with contemporary art. The installation also notably includes a gallery curated by artist Inye Wokoma and new commissions by artists Wendy Red Star and Nicholas Galanin.
The Stories We Carry showcases a dynamic mix of mediums and genres, ranging from landscapes and portraiture to sculptures and textiles while delving into several themes that tell the stories of America’s complicated history. Visitors can view the rich work placed within themes like “Ancestors + Descendants” which considers the complexities and multiplicities of American identities through portraiture or “Reaching Back, Guiding the Future”, which probes the country’s legacy of structural racism. Everything comes together to tell a larger story of American art.
@theticketsea 🖼️ What is American art? Currently ongoing at @Seattle Art Museum ♬ original sound – TheTicketSeattle
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