Highlights include Century Twenty One by Kerry James Marshall and Spam by Jaune Quick-to-See Smith.
Although made by different individuals with distinctive experiences, many of the artists in the Contemporary Gallery use their work as a means to memorialize histories and comment on important topics of our world. Through unique media, Narsiso Martinez’s USA Product calls attention to the people and labor that support America's food system, depicting a masked farmworker on a produce box. Renee Stout uses found objects within Doublecross to allude to the complex nature of humanity, while Rudy Fernandez reflects on his personal life and upbringing within the sculpture Trinidad Brick Cadillac, paying homage to his hometown through the bricks that built it. Both Umar Rashid’s Sombre Vengeance and Diego Romero’s American Disastrophism call attention to relevant socio-political issues of today, encouraging viewers to reflect upon their own beliefs and values.
Other artists featured in the Contemporary Art Gallery include Emilio Cruz, Lorenzo Clayton, and Benjamin Goo.
Works in this gallery were either purchased with funds provided by the Edward J. Gallagher, Jr. Memorial Fund or gifted to the Museum by generous donors.
