xy
Exhibition
Exhibition Overview
xy
Kris Ercums, curator
Kress Gallery, Spencer Museum of Art, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
Male sexuality is determinate by the x and y chromosome, yet what does it mean to be a man? This exhibition delves into the complexities of male identity and masculinity across a range of historical, cultural and temporal trajectories. xy approaches these issues through a variety of art works that are grouped into categories like revealing the male body; performing masculinity; (de)constructing male identity; and man enough. Drawing on the rich collection of the Spencer Museum, the exhibition explores the male body as a site of social agency through which norms of social conduct, and rebellion against normativity, are constructed, performed and contested. By pondering the socio-cultural dimensions of male identity, whether through representations of male space, the body, or idealized archetypes, the exhibition questions the modes and methods of male behavior as realized and represented visually by artists.
Exhibition images
Works of art
Edouard Drouot (1859–1945)
circa 1903
Frederic Leighton 1st Baron Leighton of Stretton (1830–1896)
1890
Michael Henry Spang (active begining 1756; died 1762); Edward Burch (1730–1814)
after 1761
circa 100 BCE–100 CE, Roman Empire
(27 BCE–395 CE)
circa 1915
1977
Marie Cosindas (1923–2017)
1967
Liu Zheng (born 1969)
1996
Leonard Freed (1929–2006)
1963
circa 1890s
John Severinus Conway (1852–1925)
circa 1880
Theodor Mintrop (1814–1870)
1851
Francesco Grigiotti (active 1604–1635)
1631
Nicolò della Casa (active 1543–1547)
circa 1543–1547
circa 1497
Max Oppenheimer (MOPP) (1885–1954)
1910–1911
Saeki Shunko (1909–1942)
early 1930s, Showa period (1926–1989)
Philippe Vignon (1638–1701)
late 1600s
Julian Alden Weir (1852–1919)
1892
Philip-Lorca DiCorcia (born 1951)
1994
circa 1940
Karl Heinrich Gruppe (1893–1982)
1952
Bertold Nebel
1945
Brenda Putnam (1890–1975)
1942
Sidney Biehler Waugh (1904–1963)
1946
Adolph Alexander Weinman (1870–1952)
1949
1930
Joseph Emile Renier (1887–1966)
1941
Chester Beach (1881–1956)
1937
Howard Forsberg (1918–2002)
1951
circa 1940
1935
circa 1966
1966
1953
Daniel Dingler (born 1945)
date unknown
1984
Morris Engel (1918–2005)
1937
late 1500s–early 1600s
1895, cast 1906
Karen Chance
1987
1884, 2nd month, Meiji period (1868–1912)
1857, Edo period (1600–1868)
mid-late 1900s
mid 1900s
Will Hicok Low (1853–1932)
1906
John Coplans (1920–2003)
1987
Events
Resources
Audio
Didactic – Art Minute
Didactic – Art Minute
Episode 194
Jul-2009, Kris Ercums
I’m David Cateforis with another Art Minute from the Spencer Museum of Art. Male sexuality is determined by the x- and y-chromosomes, but what does it mean to be a man? Xy, a current Spencer exhibition, explores the complicated issue of masculinity from a variety of viewpoints, across time and culture through a wide array of artworks. In this exhibition, the male body serves as a site of social agency through which norms of conduct and rebellion against normativity are constructed, performed, and contested. By pondering the sociocultural dimensions of male identity, whether through images of male space, activity, the body, or idealized archetypes, the exhibition questions the modes and methods of male behavior as realized and represented by artists. Drawn almost exclusively from the Spencer’s collection, xy includes paintings, sculptures, photographs, prints and drawings, and new media, ranging from an ancient Roman marble Torso of Apollo to a 20th-century photograph of American teen idol Fabian. Organized by Spencer curator Kris Ercums, xy is on view through October 5. From the Spencer Museum of Art, I’m David Cateforis.
Didactic – Art Minute
Didactic – Art Minute
Episode 194
Jul-2009, Kris Ercums
I’m David Cateforis with another Art Minute from the Spencer Museum of Art. Male sexuality is determined by the x- and y-chromosomes, but what does it mean to be a man? Xy, a current Spencer exhibition, explores the complicated issue of masculinity from a variety of viewpoints, across time and culture through a wide array of artworks. In this exhibition, the male body serves as a site of social agency through which norms of conduct and rebellion against normativity are constructed, performed, and contested. By pondering the sociocultural dimensions of male identity, whether through images of male space, activity, the body, or idealized archetypes, the exhibition questions the modes and methods of male behavior as realized and represented by artists. Drawn almost exclusively from the Spencer’s collection, xy includes paintings, sculptures, photographs, prints and drawings, and new media, ranging from an ancient Roman marble Torso of Apollo to a 20th-century photograph of American teen idol Fabian. Organized by Spencer curator Kris Ercums, xy is on view through October 5. From the Spencer Museum of Art, I’m David Cateforis.