The Jamestown Arts Center presents Material Matters, a multimedia exhibition featuring four nationally recognized artists—Michael Cochran, Lloyd Martin, Suzan Shutan, and Jason Travers—who explore how cross-cultural narratives and materiality reshape meaning.
Drawing inspiration from influences as diverse as ancient Buddhist architecture, the Harlem Renaissance, and the Bauhaus movement, the work in Material Matters challenges traditional abstractionism and invites viewers to reconsider their perceptions of art and culture.
The four artists work across various media, bending the materiality of their art to provoke an ongoing conversation about the role of cultural intersections in contemporary art. The exhibition is intended to foster dialogue around appropriation, appreciation, and the power of material to impact meaning.
“Material Matters prompts viewers to question whether what they see is appropriation or appreciation or something else…” explains the exhibition curator, Ari Montford. “Through this lens, we examine how materiality impacts perceptions and how artists express their agency in reinterpreting cultural symbols. In this interconnected, intersectional space—art becomes a tool for change.”
Material Matters is on view during regular gallery hours from September 20 through November 9, 2024 (Wednesday—Saturday, 11 am—3 pm). A free Opening Reception will be held on Friday, September 20 from 5:30-7:30 pm. An Artist’s Talk will be held on October 2 at 6 pm.
Exhibitions at the JAC are free and open to all. Many of the works are available for purchase on the Jamestown Arts Center’s online store with proceeds benefiting the individual artists and the JAC.
