Concrete & Adrift: On the Poverty Line
Concrete & Adrift: On the Poverty Line: Press Release. Text copied from Alexandria Museum of Art website.
An invitational exhibition featuring regional and national contemporary artists addressing poverty and homelessness. Pairing with AMoA’s exhibition showcasing beggars in Rembrandt’s history etchings, contemporary American artists share the first floor gallery during the Spring exhibit period in Concrete & Adrift: On the Poverty Line. This exhibition was juried from over 200 regional and national submissions, and features 39 contemporary artists from around the United States, working in a variety of media. Concrete & Adrift confronts a number of issues facing those in poverty and homelessness, two subjects that are often underrepresented and misunderstood in our society today.
“Poverty may not mean what you think. The federal government updates its official measure of poverty each year, a measure that’s easily accessible and widely used. Unfortunately, it’s largely meaningless. The reality is worse than the official numbers. Just how poor does someone have to be in order to live “in poverty?” The answer to that question ought to consider what it actually costs to live these days. No frills, no luxuries, just breaking even with frugal living and careful money management.” – David T. Britt, United Way of Central Louisiana
Throughout history, artists have used their craft to attempt to document and make sense of the world around them. The artists in this show do just that, though their subject is one which many overlook or choose to ignore. According to recent estimates, approximately 40 million people live in poverty and a greater number are barely above the poverty line. Everyone encounters at least one person living in poverty or homelessness daily, whether they notice it or not. Poverty and homelessness have been issues for hundreds of years all over the world and are issues that everyone encounters daily whether or not they experience it firsthand. Sordid & Sacred and Concrete & Adrift both show the topic from two far separate historical periods, and in different styles.
“I learned a lot from the works submitted to the call for artists. I had certain ideas about the subjects I expected to see reflected in the works. Once I began reviewing the work, I was compelled to broaden my thoughts on the subject, including but not limited to immigration, gentrification, and artists who struggle themselves. The works in this exhibition prove that beauty can be found in some of the most unexpected places….and faces.” – Catherine Pears, Executive Director, Alexandria Museum of Art
In this exhibition, AMoA worked with artists to bring the discussion to the forefront. Exploring ideas of feeling invisible, overlooked, misunderstood, and more, those living in poverty and homelessness experience difficulties far beyond the financial. This exhibition strives to bring some of those issues to light and confront some of the associated stereotypes and generalizations. Some of the artists work from their own experience and memory, having experienced these issues firsthand. The exhibition is separated into thematic sections: Portrait; shelter; isolation & invisibility; poverty, immigration, and food; and location although multiple works address more than one theme. Each object label includes an explanation or story connected with the creation and meaning of the work in question.AMoA has partnered with area organizations that help those in poverty throughout the exhibition as well in hopes to aid those struggling with poverty in homelessness beyond simply bringing the issues to the forefront. During the exhibition, AMoA will hold a number of events, including film screenings, an artist talk, and a panel discussion to further connect the art with the issues it confronts.
Visit AMoA from March 1 through June 22, 2019 for this exhibition and its associated events!
Exhibition Catalog
