All that Glitters

Fowler-Kellogg Art Center, Chautauqua Institution

June 26 - August 7, 2022

This exhibition takes its cue from the aphorism “All that Glitters is not Gold”. The dazzling works in this exhibition use embellishments of glitter and gold to question notions of value. These contemporary artists celebrate what is often deemed to be of lesser worth than money, success, or power. They examine the weight of inheritance. They illustrate the importance of human contact, chosen family, and hope in dark times.

ARTISTS: Steven Frost and Frankie Toan, Mikael Owunna, Samantha Wall, Yvette Molina, Tracey Beale

Take a Video Tour

Photos: Kathryn Boyer and Erika Diamond

Curatorial Statement:

This exhibition takes its cue from the aphorism “All that Glitters is not Gold”. The dazzling works in this exhibition use embellishments of glitter and gold to question notions of value. These contemporary artists celebrate what may be deemed to be of lesser worth than money, success, or power. They examine the weight of inheritance. They illustrate the importance of human contact, chosen family, and hope in dark times. The field of jewelry brings its own complications around value, often favoring materials that are costly to harvest or difficult to find. Using remnants of a broken glass windshield in her jewelry, Tracey Beale attests to the beauty of transformation rather than the preciousness attributed to materials such as gold or gemstones. She values self-care and the time it takes to heal, responding to the constant pressure to be viewed as a strong black woman in the face of adversity. Mining the relationship between the individual and the collective, Samantha Wall renders our bodies as emotional vessels, awash with subtleties and complications. Her gold ring series references the weight of our familial connections, depicting the Korean custom to gift a gold ring (dol ring) to a Korean baby on their first birthday. The gold is heavy with tradition, history, and the emotional attachments that are forged before we are even born.

The work of Steven Frost references the life-saving importance of chosen family in the queer community. Like the wall of shields in Denim on Denim, our community protects and strengthens us. Their references to closeted yet glittery pop icon Liberace as well their use of sequins and all that glitters are rooted in the aesthetics of Drag culture, privileging the extraordinary over the mainstream. In her works from the New Pantheon series, Yvette Molina suggests that we need new gods for our contemporary wicked problems. She offers idols designed to combat the harmful effects of systemic bigotry, misogyny, and white supremacy. She blends origin myths and Christian iconography in her exquisitely detailed paintings, conjuring deities who provide nourishment, hope, and love rather than those who are mighty or power-hungry. Mikael Owunna also draws from religious systems, depicting African cosmologies that center the Black body as eternal and celestial. Inspired by Chinua Achebe's writing on traditional Igbo spirituality, these portraits are a much-needed contrast to the images we see in the media that sensationalize violence against Black people. His film, in collaboration with choreographer Marques Redd, offer us an immersive voyage into this celebratory end expansive space.  Our contemporary world places emphasis on gain, power, monetary wealth, and aesthetic beauty. This exhibition posits that true worth and importance comes from respect, care, and perseverance. Do not be fooled by the false value of earthly riches. Place value instead on the enduring qualities of love and joy.

Special thanks to exhibition installation team: Colin Shaffer, Kathryn Boyer, Erin Mangan, and Grace Bukowski.

PRESS:

Will Karr, Undervalued themes, materials focus of ‘All that Glitters’, Chautauquan Daily, July 15, 2022