Exhibitions

Hoehn Family Galleries, Founders Hall

Francisco de Goya y Lucientes (Spanish, 1746-1828) was among the artists tasked by General Palafox with documenting the ruins of monuments in cities occupied during the Napoleonic invasion of Spain. Yet, rather than recording the cities’ devastation, Goya created The Disasters of War, a series that he chose not to publish during his lifetime. Rejecting traditional representations of warfare that celebrate victors and heroes, the series exposes the brutal violence endured by civilians and soldiers on both sides of the conflict. Goya’s compositions have resonated far beyond their historical moment, and have become a universal condemnation of war. Curated by Zoe Morales Martinez (’21), this exhibition explores Goya as a pioneer of protest art and the legacy of his work, which continues to echo more than two centuries later.

Francisco de Goya y Lucientes (español, 1746-1828) fue uno de los artistas encargados por el general Palafox de documentar las ruinas de los monumentos en las ciudades ocupadas durante la invasión napoleónica de España. Sin embargo, en lugar de registrar la devastación de las ciudades, Goya creó "Los desastres de la guerra", una serie quedecidió no publicar durante su vida. Rechazando las representaciones tradicionales de laguerra que celebran a vencedores y héroes, la serie expone la brutal violencia que sufrieron civiles y soldados de ambos bandos del conflicto. Las composiciones de Goya han resonado mucho más allá de su momento histórico y se han convertido en una condena universal de la guerra. Con el trabajo curatorial hecho por Zoe Morales Martínez (‘21), esta exposición explora a Goya como pionero del arte de protesta y el legado de su obra, que sigue haciendo ecos más
de dos siglos después.

Humanities Center Gallery, Sts. Tekakwitha and Serra Hall

John Cage (1912-1992) was one of the most influential thinkers of the twentieth century. His transformative ideas about musical composition are matched by his experimental approach to image creation. Cage was an inspiration to some of the most significant visual artists of his time—Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Nam June Paik, to name just a few of his collaborators. Additionally, starting around 1978, he made numerous prints of his own. The etchings that Cage produced, together with a handful of lithographs and serigraphs, hold their own alongside his widely discussed musical contributions and essays. Using chance operations and unconventional materials—smoke, rocks, Plexiglas--Cage developed a repertoire of arresting images that merit attention in the present. Quiet Vision: Prints by John Cage includes a group of important works from Crown Point Press in San Francisco, where the artist made the majority of his etchings, as well as loans from private individuals, together with several works from USD’s own permanent collection.

Humanities Center Gallery, Sts. Tekakwitha and Serra Hall

Yvonne Rainer (b. 1934) is a dancer and filmmaker whose interdisciplinary practice has achieved legendary status. Starting with her early performances at the Judson Memorial Church in New York City, Rainer challenged reigning ideas about what dance should look like, incorporating everyday actions and non-traditional performers into her highly intellectual choreography. Trio A is one of her most celebrated works. Conceived in 1965, Trio A was danced in discrete sections, each lasting 4 ½ to 5 minutes, all without musical accompaniment. The idea of a “silent” dance performance was something Rainer had absorbed from her close association with John Cage. Over the years, Trio A has evolved into something like a standard in Rainer’s repertoire. On occasion it is intended to be overtly political, as when it was performed by naked dancers draped in American flags, while at other times it has been staged in stark, minimalist terms. Trio A was filmed by Sally Banes, an important dance critic, in 1978. Banes captured Rainer’s solo performance in black and white, 16mm film at Merce Cunningham’s rehearsal studio. Rainer had been on a five-year hiatus from all performing when this film was made.

Copley Library and KIPJ Fine Art Galleries