Conversation XIV: Water

Exhibition

Exhibition Overview

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Conversation XIV: Water
Kris Ercums, curator
Kate Meyer, curator
Gallery 405, Spencer Museum of Art, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas

Water is timeless…or is it? This installation of works from the Spencer’s collection explores contemporary artists’ perspectives on the elixir of life: H₂0. Many of the works assembled for this installation take a critical approach to the subject matter, exploring pollution and scarcity, whereas others address water symbolically, as a cleansing or destructive force. From this selection of 20th- and 21st-century works, a visual dialogue emerges between the Kaw River of Kansas and the Yangtze of China.

Exhibition images

Works of art

Jean-Claude Severe (born 1950s), At the Well
Jean-Claude Severe (born 1950s), At the Well
Jean-Claude Severe (born 1950s)
At the Well
circa 1970
Lisa Grossman (born 1967), 86 Bends of the Kaw
Lisa Grossman (born 1967), 86 Bends of the Kaw
Lisa Grossman
86 Bends of the Kaw
2004
Richard Mawdsley (born 1945), Alpha-Omega: Water Tower #5
Richard Mawdsley (born 1945), Alpha-Omega: Water Tower #5
Richard Mawdsley (born 1945)
Alpha-Omega: Water Tower #5
1995–1999
Tony Fitzpatrick (born 1958); Big Cat Press, Rain Table
Tony Fitzpatrick (born 1958); Big Cat Press, Rain Table
Tony Fitzpatrick
Rain Table
2000
Tony Fitzpatrick (born 1958); Big Cat Press, Rain #2
Tony Fitzpatrick (born 1958); Big Cat Press, Rain #2
Tony Fitzpatrick
Rain #2
2000
Tony Fitzpatrick (born 1958); Big Cat Press, Rain
Tony Fitzpatrick (born 1958); Big Cat Press, Rain
Tony Fitzpatrick
Rain
2000
Tony Fitzpatrick (born 1958); Big Cat Press, Dust Bowl Rain
Tony Fitzpatrick (born 1958); Big Cat Press, Dust Bowl Rain
Tony Fitzpatrick
Dust Bowl Rain
2000
Yun-Fei Ji (born 1963), The Three Gorges Dam Migration, deluxe edition of 20 in hand-carved wooden case
Yun-Fei Ji (born 1963), The Three Gorges Dam Migration, deluxe edition of 20 in hand-carved wooden case
The Three Gorges Dam Migration, deluxe edition of 20 in hand-carved wooden case
2009
Josef Albers (1888–1976), Above the Water
Josef Albers (1888–1976), Above the Water
Josef Albers
Above the Water
1944
Wanda Hammerbeck (born 1945), Place Defined by Lack of Water
Wanda Hammerbeck (born 1945), Place Defined by Lack of Water
Wanda Hammerbeck
Place Defined by Lack of Water
1995
Wanda Hammerbeck (born 1945), A Portion of the Largest Desert Civilization Still in Existence
Wanda Hammerbeck (born 1945), A Portion of the Largest Desert Civilization Still in Existence
Wanda Hammerbeck
A Portion of the Largest Desert Civilization Still in Existence
1995
Lisa Grossman (born 1967), Map of the Kansas River
Lisa Grossman (born 1967), Map of the Kansas River
Lisa Grossman
Map of the Kansas River
2004
Vija Celmins (born 1938), Ocean Surface
Vija Celmins (born 1938), Ocean Surface
Vija Celmins
Ocean Surface
2006
DoDo Jin Ming (born 1955), Free Element, Plate XXIX
DoDo Jin Ming (born 1955), Free Element, Plate XXIX
DoDo Jin Ming (born 1955)
Free Element, Plate XXIX
2001
Chesley K. Bonestell (1888–1986), Yangtze Dam in China
Chesley K. Bonestell (1888–1986), Yangtze Dam in China
Chesley K. Bonestell
Yangtze Dam in China
circa 1949
Ernesto Pujol (born 1957), Lamb I
Ernesto Pujol (born 1957), Lamb I
Ernesto Pujol
Lamb I
2009–2010
Ernesto Pujol (born 1957), Lamb 2
Ernesto Pujol (born 1957), Lamb 2
Ernesto Pujol
Lamb 2
2009–2010
Zhiyuan Chen (born 1985), 长江行走－晶体 Changjiangg xingzou—jingti (Yangtze River Walk—Crystals)
Zhiyuan Chen (born 1985), 长江行走－晶体 Changjiangg xingzou—jingti (Yangtze River Walk—Crystals)
Zhiyuan Chen (born 1985)
长江行走－晶体 Changjiangg xingzou—jingti (Yangtze River Walk—Crystals)
2007
Atul Bhalla (born 1964), Untitled
Atul Bhalla (born 1964), Untitled
Atul Bhalla (born 1964)
Untitled
2010

Events

February 22, 2013
Conference
Beyond the Long Hot Summer: The Future of Water in Kansas
4:00–7:30PM
The Commons
April 6, 2013
Workshop
World Environment
9:30AM–3:00PM
The Commons
April 6, 2013
Activity
Water Transformations
10:00AM–4:00PM
Gallery 405
April 7, 2013
Activity
Water Transformations
12:00–4:00PM
Gallery 405
April 12–April 13, 2013
Conference
Global Water: Drought, Conservation and Security in the 21st Century
9:00AM–6:00PM
The Commons
April 13, 2013
Activity
Water Transformations
10:00AM–4:00PM
Gallery 405
April 20, 2013
Activity
Water Transformations
10:00AM–4:00PM
Gallery 405
April 21, 2013
Activity
Water Transformations
12:00–4:00PM
Gallery 405
April 26, 2013
Talk
An Errant Line
12:00–1:00PM
Gallery 317 Central Court
April 26, 2013
Activity
Final Friday
6:00–8:00PM
April 27, 2013
Activity
Water Transformations
10:00AM–4:00PM
Gallery 405
April 28, 2013
Activity
Water Transformations
12:00–4:00PM
Gallery 405
May 9, 2013
Talk
Watershed
5:00–7:00PM
Gallery 405, Gallery 317 Central Court
May 28–June 1, 2013
Conference
Association for the Study of Literature and the Environment (ASLE) Tenth Biennial Conference: Changing Nature: Migrations, Energies, Limits
May 28, 2013
Workshop
Association for the Study of Literature and the Environment (ASLE) Pre-conference Seminar on "Ecocritical Art History"
1:00–6:15PM
307 Reception Room
June 8, 2013
Talk
Walking on "Water"
1:00–2:00PM
Gallery 405

Resources

Documents

Media Release