The opening of “Kelley Walker: Direct Drive” at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis on Sept. 16 and the associated artist talk the following evening have prompted a complex and troubling controversy over the racially and sexually charged exhibition and the responses of the artist and the museum since.
Greed, gluttony, oil spills and destruction. If it concerns a hot social issue, Residential Areas Real Art (RARA) will likely have an entire collection of artwork to address it. The group was founded in 2009 by two Washington University students to showcase student artwork in hopes that it would grasp the attention of the greater St. Louis community.
Creating a new piece of art each day at his New York residence, the notorious street artist called Banksy enthralled the public. The art world anxiously wondered what each piece would look like and what type of social commentary would be made. Luckily, Banksy’s works did not disappoint.
Shea butter, a citizens band radio and stacks of books may not be items normally associated with artwork displayed in a museum. Nonetheless, utilizing the above objects as well as various methods of transforming these media, Rashid Johnson has created a multifaceted exploration of African-American culture and identity.
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