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related info › Finding Family Catalog (PDF) › Finding Family Poster

other 2007 exhibitions › Mikhail Baryshnikov: Dominican Moves › Ilse Haider: Selected Works 1997-2002 › Through the Rabbit Hole › Finding Family › Dan Dutton: Ballads of the Barefoot Mind

Finding Family

March 6 - May 12, 2007
Gallery 1, Atrium Level

In today's society family is often described as more than just biological relations, including a wide net of people who care for and have special significance to each other. Families are often enriched by the addition of new members and have great trouble adjusting when one is lost. They grow and change often, incorporating individuals of different backgrounds, races, sexual orientations, and religions. Often these family circles affect others like ripples in the ocean. At times the waves join forces in a com-mon direction to enlarge the circle. At other times, they clash and cause conflict between and within the individual circles.

The exhibition Finding Family is part of the “Community Unity” program of the Gallery for the Arts—the aim of which is to raise the community's awareness of issues involving diversity. The idea of family is typically connected with words like “tradition” and “values,” making it seem like a sacred, unchanging concept. However, family is difficult to determine and constantly evolving. There is a need to explore the diversity that exists within today's families and the ways in which that diversity affects us individu-ally and society in general. The artists whose works are included in this exhibition share their personal concepts of family. Some, such as Lisa DuPree and Bryce Hudson do so through glimpses into the aspects that make their own families unique, providing the opportunity for viewers to experience aspects of families that may be different from their own. Louis Zoellar Bickett II and Valerie Sullivan Fuchs examine how we construct identity for and explore the diversity within our own families. The ways that individuals and nurturing and unconditional love in relationships outside their biological families are illustrated in the works of Elena Dorfman and Brooke Jacobs, while George Haviland Argo III shares the difficulty of the end of such a relationship. The works of Russel Hulsey comment on the changing concept of family over time and how society shapes the ways in which we view families.

The feeling between people who consider each other to be family is unlike any other. When that connection exists, it represents the opposite of intolerance and injustice. However, it is all too common for the bonds between people to be broken by misunderstanding and prejudice. It is in the best interest of us all to foster understanding of diversity within families so that relationships can thrive. Finding Family presents the beginning of a dialogue that will become more vital as the idea of family continues to change over time.

—  Karen Gillenwater

Finding Family was organized by the Montgomery County Council for the Arts and curated by Karen Gillenwater, Director of Art Galleries and Curator of Collections; Georgetown College, Kentucky. Finding Family will be traveling to Georgetown College May 24 – July 5, 2007.

Exhibited Works

• George Haviland Argo III, The Breakup, 2003. Mixed media. 12 units. 11 x 17 inches each.
• Louis Zoellar Bickett II, The Cultural Memorabilia Cabinet, 2005-present. Mixed media installation. Dimensions variable.
• Elena Dorfman, Rebecca I, 2001. Chromogenic print. 30 x 30 inches. From the collection of 21c Museum.
• Elena Dorfman, Ginger Brook 4, 2001. Chromogenic print. 30 x 30 inches. From the collection of 21c Museum.
• Lisa DuPree, The New DuPrees, 1976, 2004. Thread and spray glue on paper. 5 x 5 inches.
• Lisa DuPree, Daniel's Grandma, 2004. Thread and spray glue on paper. 7 x 6 inches.
• Valerie Sullivan Fuchs, a horizontal line makes a stable image, 2007. Video installation. Digital video, 66 seconds. Dimensions variable.
• Bryce Hudson, Global Familia, 2006. Archival digital print on paper. 25 x 40 inches. Edition of 2.
• Russel Hulsey, Family's Ghost (At the Lonesome Altar of Repast), 2007. Archival digital photographic print. 20 x 30 inches. Edition of 5.
• Russel Hulsey, The Brady Family, 2007. No. 3 from the From Ozzie to Ozzy (Television Families) series. Ink on canvas. 7.5 x 7.5 inches.
• Russel Hulsey, The Munster Family, 2007. No. 4 from the From Ozzie to Ozzy (Television Families) series. Ink on canvas. 7.5 x 7.5 inches.
• Brooke Jacobs, Dog and Performers, 2003. Silver gelatin print. 16 x 20 inches (framed).
• Brooke Jacobs, Man and his Dog, 2004. Fuji digital C print. 16 x 20 inches (framed).
• Brooke Jacobs, Man Sleeping with Cat, 2002. Silver gelatin print. 16 x 20 inches (framed).
• Brooke Jacobs, Megan and her Cat, 2004. Silver gelatin print. 20 x 16 inches (framed).
• Brooke Jacobs, Woman and Dog in Window, 2003. Silver gelatin print. 16 x 20 inches (framed).

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2007 Exhibitions