Out & About: The Westmoreland's new exhibitions explore meaning of 'American'
The Westmoreland Museum of American Art has a historic first with the simultaneous opening of three exhibits exploring the meaning of the word “American” in the museum’s title.
At a Saturday evening preview for members and special guests, Chief Curator Jeremiah William McCarthy said, “It’s really not just a word or phrase. It’s actions” to make the space and its mission more diverse, welcoming and inclusive.
“I think these three exhibitions accomplish this, or they’re the start of our task in accomplishing this over the coming years,” he said.
The exhibitions are:
• “Gavin Benjamin: Break Down and Let It All Out” — The Pittsburgh-based artist created photographs of members of the local African American community during his term as artist-in-residence at the Greensburg museum.
His exhibition combines portraits displayed as wallpaper on the outer wall of the museum’s historic paneled rooms, which house an installation depicting a home owned by a fictional Black family for nearly 250 years and containing more framed portraits of his subjects.
The exhibition explores “what it’s like to be a minority in this area,” said local artist Pamela Cooper, who recruited subjects for the project. “Yes, there’s racism here, so why do we stay here? The answer is that we have roots here, a solid foundation of our families and churches.”
As McCarthy introduced Benjamin to reception guests, he said, “You invited the community in and really made the word ‘Welcome,’ that’s on this building with an exclamation point, matter.”
• “Gatecrashers: The Rise of the Self-Taught Artist in America” — The traveling exhibition organized by the High Museum of Art in Atlanta features 60 works by self-taught, so-called outsider artists who overcame obstacles of ethnicity, class and gender to have their works included in major collections and museums across the country.
The exhibition in the Cantilever Gallery includes works by John Kane, known for his landscape paintings of industrial-era Pittsburgh. His acceptance into the 1927 Carnegie International Exhibition was met with some skepticism but ultimately paved the way to recognition for other self-taught artists, including Grandma Moses, also featured in “Gatecrashers.”
• “Forests of Symbols” — Five paintings from The Westmoreland’s permanent collection explore early 20th-century American artists influenced by the European movement of symbolism, which featured elements of the natural, mystical, subjective and irrational.
McCarthy noted four of the five works featured in the Robertshaw Gallery haven’t been on view for many years and are newly conserved, thanks to the efforts of Director of Collections and Exhibition Management Doug Evans.
As reception guests broke into applause, McCarthy joked, “It’s not a popularity contest, but if it was, you won, Doug.”
In her remarks, Interim Director/CEO and COO Suzanne Wright also lauded the efforts of staff members Rhonda Madden, Erica Nuckles and Claire Ertl in bringing the three exhibitions, all running through Feb. 5, to fruition.
Among special guests for the evening were Carl and Marian Mullis of Atlanta, who lent 11 works from their collection to “Gatecrashers,” along with museum board president Helene Conway-Long with Tom Long, board members Jim Broadhurst with Suzy and Laura Gutnick with Daniel Bogesdorfer, and honorary board member Charles Loughran with Sally.
Seen at The Westmoreland: Madeline Gent, Lexi Bishop, Ryan Lammie, Nina Friedman, James Taylor, Lyzona Marshall, Chris and Pete Flanigan, Margaret DiVirgilio, Linda Earnest, Greg Murman, Dr. George and Linda Austin, Ed and Aggie Day, Ricardo and Kasey Housen with daughter Amaiyah, Karen Douglas, Kathy Longacre, Eugene Cooper, Adrian Jones and Erika Butler-Jones, Carol Zera, Jody Hardzak, Kitty Hricenak and Jon and Nina Lewis.
Shirley McMarlin is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Shirley by email at smcmarlin@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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