Art of Today: Contemporary Collections from Chicago

Exhibition Reception
Thursday, September 12, 5–7 p.m.
Art Gallery
Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts
Allendale Campus

Exhibition Dates: August 23–November 1

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Since the late 1960s, contemporary art has sought to challenge boundaries and engage a world that is rapidly becoming culturally diverse, technologically developed, and globalized. In the United States, Chicago serves as an important center for this kind of art. By working with Chicago-based artists, gallery owners, and collectors, Grand Valley State University has purposefully developed a collection of contemporary art over the last 15 years.

Drawn from GVSU’s collection and enhanced with additional loans from Chicago, Art of Today celebrates Grand Valley’s desire to share compelling imagery with the community. The exhibition brings together more than 40 paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, sculptures, and mixed media. This curation includes both bold and minimalistic works exploring simplicity in design, our relationship to the environment, and the intersection of pop culture and art by artists Alex Katz, Ellsworth Kelly, David Nash, and Takahashi Murakami. Other artists, such as Tony Fitzpatrick, Jane Hammond, Erika Rothenberg, and Kara Walker, provide challenging imagery that examines the meaning of identity, race, culture, and sexuality.