Following the Early American and Modern Art galleries is the Contemporary Art gallery. While the previous galleries were more-or-less organized chronologically, the contemporary gallery arranged work by theme. As soon as I entered the gallery, I was greeted by Beeple’s HUMAN ONE sculpture. The work is a technologically advanced, spinning mechanism that portrays a distorted astronaut traversing an electric, surreal, and everchanging landscape. The work commands full attention of the room with its intense light and color. Opposite HUMAN ONE are two paintings by Mark Rothko and Lee Krasner, respectively. Rothko and Krasner were members of the Abstract Expressionist movement of the 1940s and 50s, a period of painting known for grandeur, but also existentialism caused from the upheavals of World War II. In post-World War II America, these two paintings would have demanded the same level of investigation as Beeple’s HUMAN ONE. By situating examples of contemporary work from opposite ends of the timeline, Crystal Bridges emphasized how rapid documentation of culture has shifted with the introduction of new technologies. I sat with Lorraine O’Grady’s Untitled (Mlle Bourgeoise Noire) for a long while. The series of photographs documented O’Gradys performance work in which she entered art institutions, unannounced, dressed as her fictional pageant queer persona Mademoiselle Bourgeoise Noire (Miss Black <strong>Mid</strong>dle- Class). By invading art spaces adorned in a dress and cape constructed of 180 pairs of white gloves and lashing herself with a whip as she recited poems, O’Grady gave the institutions a “piece of her mind” and insisted on acknowledging the exclusion of underrepresented communities and internalized oppression. 3 Investigating the documentation of O’Grady’s performance art as individual photos that capture a duration of time gave me perspective on how witnessing a live event can hold the same integrity as how it is seen post-performance. Sitting with this piece put me in a prime headspace for my nighttime event, Matty Davis’ Die No Die (Arkansas) hosted at The Momentary. As I wrapped up my adventure in the contemporary art gallery, I recognized the Memphis native Mae Aur had a work in the gallery. Seeing their work, The Guardeners, in the Crystal Bridges permanent collection made me elated with respect and pride for my lovely art community back home in Memphis. The Momentary is an interdisciplinary art space focusing on music, visual art, performance art, culinary art, and film. Matty Davis’ performance Die No Die included previously mailed zines functioning as maps, an 800 meter procession, lighting effects, choreography, and spoken word. While witnessing the work, I had the response of most performance art viewers, “What did I just see, and why did it make so much sense?” As a performance artist myself with limited access to viewing live performance art, it was an interesting opportunity to witness such an event in a large institution. I returned to the Momentary the following day to view the galleries. Exhibitions by Dave Cole, Firelei Báez, Will Rawls, Yvette Mayorga–an artistin-residence–and Rumwolf were on view. All of the galleries shared common threads: historical context, exploration of identity, and specific art mediums displayed as installation. Firelei Báez’s installation To Breathe Full and Free: A Declaration, A Revisioning, A Correction, utilized shadowplay and set construction to explore various cultural narratives. While the majority of the exhibition comprised grand sculpture amplifying the gallery space, Báez considered all of her work to belong to “the illusionistic realm of painting.” Mayorga’s exhibition contained both sculptures and paintings; however, the treatment of the gallery space created synergy between the mediums. Checkered patterns were laid in complementary sections. Towards the far end of the gallery, the floor became checkered carpet. The moment my feet felt the softness of the ground, I completely melted into the work. I was living in Mayorga’s world. The treatment of the gallery space became integral to her work, and the other artists embraced this method too. In addition to visual art viewing, I indulged in the culinary arts. The Momentary houses an Onyx Coffee Lab, though it was temporarily closed during my trip. Luckily, I was able to visit another Onyx location down the street and had the best coffee of my life. I also paid a quick visit to 21c Museum Hotel to view their expansive contemporary art collection and enjoy a cocktail at The Hive. I was particularly excited to try “The Garden,” a vodka drink inspired by Portia Munson’s current installation, The Garden (1996-2019) which was on view in the hotel’s lobby. A significant part of my personal agenda is to uplift <strong>South</strong>ern artists. We are underrepresented in the “Capital A” art world. Having a thriving art scene only 5 hours from home fosters hope that my community can take ownership in the art world without living in New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles. Crystal Bridges, The Momentary, and 21c inspire a crossdisciplinary art scene despite residing outside of a major metropolitan area. Bentonville, Arkansas has plenty to offer and contribute to the larger conversation of artistic cultural documentation. Take time to visit, but, more importantly, take time to witness. There are moments in the galleries where time seems to stand still. REFERENCES 1. Infinity Mirrored Room- My Heart is Dancing into the Universe by Yayoi Kusama can also been seen in Crystal Bridges’ contemporary art gallery 2. Sappho is from the island of Lesbos, hence the term “lesbian.” 3. Object label for Untitled by Lorraine O’Grady. At the Crystal Bridges Art Museum, Bentonville, Arkansas. Seen on: August 5, <strong>2023</strong>. 26 Go! | <strong>Sept</strong>+<strong>Oct</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | focuslgbt.com
Cocktail from The Hive at the 21c Museum Hotel photo by Mud Frank Lloyd Wright: The Bachman-Wilson House, 1956. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art photo by Drew Stanford View from the nature trail. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art photo by Drew Stanford Kehinde Wiley: Portrait of a Florentine Nobleman, 2018. Oil on linen. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art photo by Mud Beeple: HUMAN ONE, 2021. Four screen video Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art photo by Drew Stanford Yayoi Kusama: Narcissus Garden, 1966-present. Stainless steel spheres. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art photo by Mud <strong>Sept</strong>+<strong>Oct</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | focuslgbt.com | Go! 27
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