FLINT, Michigan — Beginning Saturday, May 14, the exhibit
Being Human: Contemporary Art from the Rubell Museum will be featured at Flint Institute of Arts (FIA) from the
Being Human collection at the Rubell Museum in Miami, Florida. The exhibition will be on display in the FIA’s Hodge and Henry Galleries through August 28, 2022.
According to Tracee Glabb, Curator of Collections and Exhibitions at FIA, “the exhibition is not meant to fully capture what it means to be human, but rather to show some of the ways artists have dealt with complex realities, pointing out willful or inadvertent blindness to what’s all around us. In an era of doubt, confusion, and disconnect, this exhibition presents unique perspectives, not necessarily providing answers, but offering the way art provokes contemplation, understanding, compassion, and introspection.”
The curatorial staff at the FIA worked closely with the team at the Rubell Museum to select works that would fit the theme of this exhibition and be of interest to FIA visitors. Visitors will see works from familiar artists, including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, George Condo, Richard Prince, Keith Haring, Allison Zuckerman, and many others.
According to Glabb, “it was important that our community be exposed to art of our time that deals with issues around what it means to be human. This experience with artwork is intended to open conservations around a range of ideas and conversations underlining the FIA’s desire to be a place of cultural exchange.”
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Jean-Michel Basquiat, American, 1960-1988, Untitled (Self-portrait), 1982-1983, Oil on wood, 20 x 20 in.
This exhibition will feature pieces of the late 20th and early 21st centuries that challenge social categorization of human beings. The new exhibit will also present select pieces that reflect the many layers of humanity while displaying art created by both renowned and emerging artists exploring the intersections of identity.
“This exhibition touches on provocative topics and themes that are relevant to many aspects of modern life. We believe the powerful messages conveyed by the artists featured in
Being Human will resonate and provide a truly unique experience for visitors. We are excited to be able to share this with the community,” says Glab.
FIA introduces the new exhibit as an experience that ignites “emotional responses to various issues, including gender, race, sexuality, embodiment, identity, love, life, and death.” The museum shares that the pieces featured will be artwork that contemplates the past, present, and future, artists interpret their own and others’ existence through a thought-provoking visual vocabulary that transcends the limits of language.”
The Rubell Family Collection was originally established in 1964 in New York City shortly after the marriage between Donald and Mera Rubell. Their family collection has now been recognized as the largest privately owned collection of contemporary art.
The FIA is open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 1-5 p.m. on Sundays. Admission is free for Genesee County residents every day, on behalf of the Genesee County Arts and Cultural Enrichment Millage. Admission is free for all on Saturdays due to the contributions of Huntington Bank.
For more information, visit: flintarts.org
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