Artborne Magazine November 2016 | Page 45

Political art does not always have answers;
sometimes, it simply questions
During a class session on portraiture, some
students really struggled with a portrait by
Vanessa Bell (currently on view as a part
of the exhibition This Side of Modernism).
They questioned its validity as both a modern representation and as a successful portrait. Instead, they were drawn to Betsy by
Jess T. Dugan. For them, Dugan’s portrait
offered the intimacy they wanted between
subject and artist. Moreover, many stated they saw themselves in Betsy and the
medium of photography felt accessible. In
2015, after presenting the first museum
exhibition of Dugan’s photographic series,
Every Breath We Drew, I could not agree
more with their positive assessment of the
photographer’s work. Although I did not
Yoan Capote, Abstinecia (Libertad), 2014, cast bronze and engraving and drypoint,
agree with the students’ assessment of Bell’s
Alfond Collection of Contemporary Art, Cornell Fine Arts Museum
modern picture, I embraced their energy.
©Yoan Capote. Image courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery
They saw in Dugan’s work a commitment
to what she describes as “visual activism”
ther Bubley. Bringing contemporary artists into the discussion of wom- and they responded to her dedication in seeking dignity for her many
en, war, and industry seemed appropriate given current events. Works of her subjects, who identify as LGBTQ and have often experienced
by Miyoshi Barosh, Any-My Lê, Pae White, Catherine Opie, and Iana marginalization. As Dugan brought her subject into the public sphere,
Quesnell were featured in the contemporary portion of the exhibition. viewers of her photographs who see themselves in her subjects could
Video artist Michelle Dizon, who lives and works in Los Angeles, made feel recognized and valued too. After all, being seen and feeling respecta new work for the exhibition titled Basing Landscapes, which presents ed are universal desires.
haunting scenes of abandoned U.S. military bases in the Philippines
juxtaposed with interviews with female sex workers who have experi- Every day presents new challenges, new responses to work, and new
enced violent encounters at the ends of American visitors.
opportunities to expand the conversation. I hope that certain exhibitions spark conversations and provide an opportunity for reflection.
Since joining the staff of the Cornell Fine Arts Museum at Rollins Col- Museums can provide a space to foster community, when the events
lege three years ago, I have been able to develop group exhibitions unfolding before our eyes shock us, hurt us, challenge us, or simply
such as Fractured Narratives (co-curated with Abigail Ross Goodman) make no sense at all.
and Displacement: Symbols and Journeys which presented political
work addressing diverse issues, from the use of drones to immigraYou can see more at:
tion. Beyond these temporary exhibitions, consistent presentations of
Rollins.edu/cornell-fine-arts-museum
socially engaged work occurs in the
Michelle Dizon, Basing Landscapes, video, 2013, running time, 50 minutes, Image courtesy of the artist
museum’s permanent collection gallery and at the Alfond Inn. At the
Alfond Inn, works by artists such
as Yoan Capote and Jenny Holzer
draw visitors in with a sense of awe.
While both artists produce visually
intriguing works, deeper political
meanings resonate beyond the initial
aesthetic impact. At an elegant hotel,
as opposed to a traditional museum
space, the surprise encounter with
a political work becomes amplified.
Capote’s bronze hands spell the
word “libertad”—or freedom—in
sign language. The models for the
hands were Latino laborers. Across
cultures, classes, genders, and individual experiences, freedom means
different things to different people.
Orlando’s Art Scene, v. 1.5

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