The New Mexico Museum of Art (NMMOA) Vladem Contemporary will present its first-ever exhibition titled “Shadow and Light,” commencing on Saturday, Sept. 23 of this year and concluding on May 28, 2024; a recent press release from the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs said. The exhibition celebrates the renowned New Mexico light that has been a compelling draw for artists and photographers worldwide, captivating their creative pursuits in this region for centuries according to a press release.
“Shadow and Light explores in part how those new techniques allowed artists to interpret their emotional, psychological, or spiritual experiences of the Southwest,” Mark White, NMMOA executive director, said in the release.
The exhibition exemplifies one of the original principles behind NMMOA's establishment in the early 20th century, emphasizing that the arts go beyond mere replication and illustration, the press release said. Instead, they encompass an impact that fosters the understanding and appreciation of art, exploration of human experiences, novel ideas, and diverse cultures.
“New Mexico has inspired artists to seek new approaches to the representation of its vast spaces and distinctive light, especially in recent decades when new materials and technologies offered alternatives to traditional media,” White said in the release.
The exhibition will occupy two galleries at Vladem Contemporary, showcasing a collection of art created from the mid-20th century to the present day, the release said. The exhibit features artists with regional, national and international acclaim, such as Larry Bell, Emil Bisttram, Lee Bul, Judy Chicago, Ron Cooper, James Drake, Angela Ellsworth, Gloria Graham, Harmony Hammond, Nancy Holt, Jennifer Joseph, Agnes Martin, Florence Miller Pierce, Virgil Ortiz, J P 제피 (formerly Jen Pack), Helen Pashgian, Charles Ross, Susan York, Leo Villareal and Erika Wanenmacher.
“Shadow and Light examines artworks with an eye towards the West and Southwest, and the desire for a visual experience that could convey more than theory,” Katie Doyle, NMMOA assistant curator, said in the release.