WASHINGTON, D.C. (PNAN) – “Many Wests: Artists Shape an American Idea” features artwork from the permanent collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and four partner museums, Boise Art Museum in Idaho; Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, in Eugene, Oregon; Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Salt Lake City; and the Whatcom Museum in Bellingham, Washington, who are located in some of the fastest-growing cities and states in the western region of the United States.
The exhibition examines the perspectives of dozens of modern and contemporary artists who offer a broader and more inclusive view of this region, which too often has been dominated by romanticized myths and Euro-American historical accounts.
Additionally, the show is presenting an examination of previous misconceptions, question racist clichés, and highlight the multiple communities and histories that continue to form this iconic region of the United States.
Working in various media, from painting and sculpture to photography and mixed media, the artists featured bring a nuanced and multifaceted history to light. Many Wests highlights many voices, including artists who identify as Black, Indigenous, Asian American, Latinx, and LGBTQ+, who stake a claim in the American West.
The exhibition’s three sections: Caretakers, Memory Makers, and Boundary Breakers, highlight the various ways artists explode singular conceptions of the American West, often demonstrating the resilience of marginalized communities who survived against the odds. The modern and contemporary artists featured in Many Wests reveal that “the West” has always been a place of multiple stories, experiences, and cultures.
The current and remainder touring locations and exhibition dates are: Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, through December 31, 2022; Utah Museum of Fine Arts from February 4, 2023 to June 11, 2023; and Smithsonian American Art Museum from July 28, 2023 to January 14, 2024. Note: The following link is a video presentation from Whatcom Museum of Art. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnqtU7C2eYQ&t=12s.