CURRENT

Throughout the twentieth century, artists across the globe responded to industrialization and rapid technological growth by rejecting traditional modes of artmaking and developing radically innovative ways to portray the shifting realities of the modern world. Many artists confronted the complexities of their time by embracing abstraction, experimentation, and increasingly expansive possibilities for cross-cultural exchange. The flow of people and ideas across geographical borders was integral in shaping modernism, resulting in dynamic networks of influence that transcended national boundaries and prompted new forms of visual expression. Many artists took advantage of more readily available opportunities to travel, often becoming active members of international art movements and communities. For others, war and persecution forced them into exile, where they made poignant works reflecting political turmoil and personal upheaval.

 

Drawn from the museum’s permanent collection, this focused exhibition highlights modern and contemporary artists whose practices were and are indelibly impacted by experiences of migration and transnationalism. Whether freely traversing borders or involuntarily displaced, these artists challenged artistic norms and brought new perspectives to bear on themes of place, belonging, and interconnectedness.