KENNESAW, Ga. | Aug 4, 2020

Experimental and group exhibitions draw on rare—and rarely seen—works from ZMA

The Bernard A. Zuckerman Museum of Art (ZMA), a unit of the School of Art and Design at Kennesaw State University, is scheduled to present two exhibitions in late summer. Both exhibitions open August 29 and will be on display through December 6, 2020. Due to Covid-19 and a commitment to the health and safety of our guests, the ZMA will be open with a limited number of guests.

A Peculiar Proximity to Spiritual Mysteries showcases various key contemporary works from the permanent collection of the Zuckerman Museum of Art. Curated by artist Pablo Helguera and Ginger Wolfe-Suarez, this experimental exhibition draws on many rare works of art as well as some that have never been exhibited.  The exhibition features alternative methods of display, supplementary learning experiences, and sound recordings. Preparation for this exhibition included research and curatorial assistance by Michelle Lopez, registrar/collections manager as well as collective dialogue and collaboration with the ZMA staff.

The curators initially researched artists of diverse cultural backgrounds in the permanent collection of the ZMA and then chose artists to highlight. The highlighted artists employ a range of techniques to explore issues of identity, race, and cultural origin. They often reference geography, translocation, cultural traditions, translation, political history, and collective memory. Language and storytelling are also common threads woven throughout the exhibition.

Issues explored by these artists continue to be pressing for museums and institutions around the world. Artists include Tia Blassingame, Mildred Beltre, Canute Caliste, Nayda Collazo-Llorens, Frederick Schiller Cozzens, Jesus De La Rosa, Ruthann Godollei, Sheila Goloborotko, Rogelio Gutierrez, Antonio Jacobsen, Eddy A. López, Athos Menaboni, Ayanah Moor, Michelle Murillo, Grace Rosario Perkins, Robert Sherer, Bernice Sims, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Keith Smith, and Henry Ossawa Tanner.  

Also curated by Wolfe-Suarez, it’s your world for the moment is a group exhibition that brings out rare and never-before-seen work of historical and cultural significance while also supporting the commissioning of new work made within the region. The precariousness of shared space and geographic places is explored through ‘environmental portraits,’ explorations into ecological sites, and art-making tactics that incorporate cultural and symbolic meanings of both our natural and cultural spaces. 

Each artist in this exhibition has inexhaustibly created works of art uniquely positioned in the present while having a simultaneous relationship with the past and future. Their work collectively engages concepts of water and land in all of its complexity and precariousness, while rigorously engaging ideas of our climate and shared geography.

Featured artists include Allison Janae Hamilton, Yoshua Okón, Erin Jane Nelson, Ana Mendieta, and Optics Division of the Metabolic Studio (Lauren Bon, Rich Nielsen, and Tristan Duke).

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About the ZMA: A unit of the School of Art and Design, the Zuckerman Museum of Art serves as a vital academic resource and cultural focus for students, faculty and members of the community. The Zuckerman Museum of Art presents significant works from Kennesaw State University’s permanent collection while regularly exhibiting contemporary works of various media by local and national artists. For additional information, please contact the Zuckerman Museum of Art at 470-578-3223 or visit arts.kennesaw.edu/zuckerman.

About Kennesaw State University: A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers more than 150 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its approximately 38,000 students. With 13 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the third-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 92 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status, and one of the 50 largest public institutions in the country. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu. For more information on the College of the Arts, please visit arts.kennesaw.edu.