“Mis/Communication: Language and Power in Contemporary Art” opens June 15 at The Dorsky Museum
The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art at SUNY New Paltz proudly presents “Mis/Communication: Language and Power in Contemporary Art,” a new exhibition of work by 16 artists exploring language and its varying roles and functions in social, political and global exchange.
“Mis/Communication” will open June 15, 2024, and remain on view through Nov. 3. The exhibition is guest curated by Amy Kahng.
About the Exhibition
“Mis/Communication: Language and Power in Contemporary Art” features video, sculpture, drawing, and interactive media artworks by 16 contemporary artists who explore the power of language in an array of cultural contexts. Through diverse styles and approaches, the artworks address topics such as the global dominance of English, the colonial legacies embedded in languages, and socially marginalized linguistic practices.
The exhibition originated at the Paul W. Zuccaire Gallery, Stony Brook University, where it won the 2020 SUNY Prize for Performance, Creation and Curation. It has now been expanded for the Dorsky Museum.
“After touring four SUNY campuses, I’m thrilled that ‘Mis/Communication’ is coming to The Dorsky for a special, expanded iteration that includes several more emerging and mid-career artists,” said Guest Curator Amy Kahng. “I’m excited for visitors to see the show and consider the power dynamics and colonial histories intrinsic to language.”
“Mis/Communication” features work by Carmen Argote, Frédéric Bruly Bouabré, Jesse Chun, Jisoo Chung, Dahn Gim, Jennifer Chia-Ling Ho, dulce soledad ibarra, Angelina Joshua and Jake Duczynski, Gala Porras Kim, Christine Sun Kim and Thomas Mader, Benjamin Lundberg Torres Sánchez, Kim Schoen, Clarissa Tossin, and Han Yohan.
These artists explore linguistic forms and traditions including speech, writing, American Sign Language, performative body language, and artificial intelligence voice recognition programs. They confront topics like the assimilation pressures faced by English as a Second Language learners, the erasure of indigenous languages, and the privileging of certain forms of communication over others.
About the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art
Through its collections, exhibitions and public programs, the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art at SUNY New Paltz supports and enriches the academic programs at the College, presents a broad range of world art for study and enjoyment and serves as a center for Hudson Valley arts and culture. The Museum is widely recognized as the premier public showplace for exhibition, education and cultural scholarship about the Hudson Valley region’s art and artists from yesterday and today.
With more than 9,000 square feet of exhibition space distributed over six galleries, The Dorsky Museum is one of the largest museums in the SUNY system. Since its official dedication on Oct. 20, 2001, The Dorsky has presented more than 100 exhibitions, including commissions, collection-based projects and in-depth studies of contemporary artists including Robert Morris, Alice Neel, Judy Pfaff, Carolee Schneemann and Ushio Shinohara.
Museum Hours
Wednesday–Sunday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Closed Mondays, Tuesdays, holidays and intersessions.
For more information about The Dorsky and its programs, visit http://www.newpaltz.edu/museum or call (845) 257-3844.