Spring 2019 Exhibitions
Hostile Terrain is a multimedia installation focused on different sensory engagements
with the complex world of clandestine migration. It builds on anthropological data
collected by the Undocumented Migration Project, a decade-long research endeavor using
archaeology, forensic science, ethnography, and visual anthropology to understand
the violent social process of border crossing between Mexico and the United States.
Highlighting the discomfort that comes with knowing that there is no easy resolution
to our global humanitarian migration crisis, Hostile Terrain both translates and transforms
anthropological data into a sensorial experience while challenging the viewer to avoid
the overly simplified analogy of the heroic/tragic migrant. Geometric Aljamía: a Cultural Transliteration explores geometry as a fundamental aspect
of two-dimensional art and as a way to communicate ideas across cultures. Since ancient
times, geometric perfection has been Geometry, in this way, is much like aljamía,
or the adaptation of Arabic script to write in European languages. This exhibition
revisits the ongoing impact of Islamic art, science, and philosophy throughout the
world today. Geometric Aljamía includes work by Mohammad Saleh Amin, Jorge Benitez,
Reni Gower, Hanane Korchi, Tamim Sahebzada, and Julia Townsend. A source of myth, wonder, and scientific investigation for as long as people have
been looking skyward, the moon has been a constant and steadfast witness to the human
endeavor. 2019 marked the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 9, the first lunar module test
flight, and the momentous Apollo 11 moonwalk. This exhibition features artwork by
Lowell Nesbitt, the official NASA artist for Apollo 9 and 11, historical film footage,
and selections from F&M Library’s Special Collections. Hostile Terrain by Lucy Cahill + Jason De León + Michael Wells
Geometric Aljamía: A Cultural Transliteration
Looking Skyward: A Commemoration of Lunar Exploration