Originally presented online and aligned with the 2020 presidential election at the height of the ongoing global pandemic and served as an alternative source of contemplation beyond the traditional debates and media stream.
And in case you miss the opportunity to see the exhibition in person, experience the virtual exhibition here.
Images: Views of the Why Shouldn't We Talk About These Things At The Table? exhibition in the Schmidt Center Gallery Space
Why Shouldn’t We Talk About These Things At The Table?: A Community Based Conversation with South Florida Artists is a contemporary art exhibition that presents 15 artists residing in South Florida whose work varies greatly in style and media. The exhibition looks at the American cultural tradition of not discussing politics, religion, and other challenging subjects at the table, and proposes that given our diverse family structures we should bend these rules and allow for conversations that bring together an informed and empathetic community as extended family.
The title and concept of the exhibition was inspired by conversations between curators Adrienne Rose Gionta and Jeanie Ambrosio about the 1922 text by Emily Post, “Etiquette: The Blue Book for Social Usage” which provided the earliest “how-to’s” for interacting thoughtfully with others. This exhibition considers Emily Post’s dinner table guidance which states, “while politics, religion, and other potentially volatile topics aren’t really off-limits, discussing them could risk nettling your dinner companions and putting a damper on the meal.”
Today, table etiquette recommendations prevail in the form of blogs, podcasts, social media posts and news articles that are readily available via any device with a wireless connection. The persistent nature of this advice has led the curators to question why it still seems appropriate to avoid important subjects in conversation. To begin this discussion, we bring together the works of: Harumi Abe, John William Bailly, Randy Burman, lou anne colodny, Morel Doucet, Todd Lim, Laura Marsh, Peggy Levinson Nolan, Marielle Plaisir, Sri Prabha, Sandra Ramos, Lisa Rockford, Sarah Michelle Rupert, Onajide Shabaka, Michelle Weinberg.
In 2021, a limited edition 40-page catalog was designed and produced in collaboration with IS Projects, Fort Lauderdale.
Why Shouldn’t We Talk About These Things At The Table?: a community based conversation with South Florida artists
Curators: Jeanie Ambrosio & AdrienneRose Gionta
February 18 - April 9, 2022
Size: 8 5/8 x 5 5/8 Catalogue
39 pages