REVIEW: Silver Linings

Spelman College is a historically Black women’s college in Atlanta, Georgia, which holds an art collection spanning over 100 years of African American artwork. “Silver Linings” brings a sampling of this historic collection to the walls of UMMA.

The exhibition includes 40 works from the Spelman Collection, a wide sampling that represents a slice of the history, experiences and aesthetics of Black Americans in the last hundred years. It features a few local connections as well, including several works by Beverly Buchanan, who spent the later years of her life in Ann Arbor.

There are some truly illustrious artists included in the exhibition, both historical and contemporary. I was excited to see a piece by Faith Ringgold, an artist whose work I have studied in depth. She is well known for her “story quilts” and similar pieces combining painting with textiles, often inspired by her childhood in the heart of the Harlem Renaissance. “Groovin’ High,” titled after a track by famous jazz musician Dizzy Gillespie, is a rhythmic and joyous scene of Harlem nightlife. It also serves as a demonstration of the artistic and historical significance of this collection.

The exhibition is largely organized into categories such as photography, portraiture and abstraction, with some works standing alone. I found the effect a bit disjointed, with no clear path to lead me through the gallery and no overarching story connecting different areas of the exhibition. However, a collection as broad as this one is best displayed with a diverse range of works and topics, so it is understandable that curatorial emphasis was placed on several smaller groupings of work around different themes.

Of all the works in “Silver Linings,” I was particularly drawn to the ornate mixed media works of Lina Iris Viktor in the “Portraiture and Subversion” section. Her work combines photographs with ink, paint and pure gold. She captures Black female bodies in lush, dark compositions, filled with deep shadows, with only soft highlights and bright accents of gold to distinguish the figures from their surroundings. These were visually stunning celebrations of the beauty of Blackness, skillfully subverting racist and colorist tropes.

Betty Blayton, “Vibes Penetrated.” 1983, acrylic on canvas. Image via Neil Kagerer and UMMA.

I also enjoyed the works in the “Abstraction” section of the exhibition. Betty Blayton’s “Vibes Penetrated,” the huge circular painting used in marketing materials for the exhibition, is even more stunning in person. The exhibition text references Blayton’s intention to create a “meditative pause,” which I felt as I lingered in front of it—the composition is active yet calm, and I felt that I could have stared at it for hours. Another highlight of this section were the luminous paintings of Michigan alumna Lucille Malkia Roberts (MFA 1939). Her works “Out of the Blues” and “Winter Sun” used beautiful complimentary colors and expressive brushwork that felt joyful and bright.

I did not love every single piece in “Silver Linings,” but I found several that spoke to me. Any exhibition with such a broad variety of work can never be a perfect fit for one individual’s taste. That breadth, however, means there is room for many different kinds of people to find an artwork they connect to. Others may find that their favorite works are very different from mine, but there is something for everyone in “Silver Linings.”

“Silver Linings” is on display at UMMA until January 5th. An exhibition tour by guest curator and History of Art professor julia elizabeth neal will occur on November 10th.

REVIEW: Hey, We Need to Talk!

Through its Vote 2024 suite of programs, the U-M Museum of Art has asked the campus community, “How can we strengthen our democracy?” Visiting artist Philippa Pham Hughes answers this question with the title of her exhibition: “Hey, We Need to Talk!”

Hughes, the current Visiting Artist For Art & Civic Engagement at UMMA, is a social practice artist who works to create a flourishing society through human conversation and connection. With the presidential election approaching and politics an increasingly divisive subject, it’s harder than ever to communicate with those who disagree with us. With “Hey, We Need to Talk!” Hughes encourages us to sit down, break bread, and talk honestly about our fears and hopes for America.

The second-floor Crumpacker gallery has been transformed into something that is part curated art exhibit, part interactive experience, and part community gathering space. Brightly colored wallpaper (designed by artist Louise Jones, also known as Ouizi) covers the walls, bursting with beautiful illustrations of the nation’s fifty state flowers against a pastel pink background. Groups of comfortable chairs and low tables form places to sit and converse in small groups. The space feels instantly joyful and welcoming. The works of art hanging on the gallery walls are well curated, chosen from UMMA’s collection to provide discussion prompts about American life and values, but they take a back seat to the social artwork of the exhibition as a whole.

The exhibition’s Gallery Guide describes it a “social sculpture,” and invites visitors to “complete the artwork” by making social connections with others in the space. It gently encourages discussion with other viewers, and provides a series of open-ended questions about the artworks as a conversation starter. There is also a tear-away card in the back of the pamphlet, asking participants to write their answer to the question, “What does it mean to be an American?”

 

A selection of answers to the question “What does it mean to be American?” written by visitors to the exhibition. Photos by the reviewer.

I found these cards to be the most compelling part of the exhibition. Large photo albums filled with them are placed on tables around the room. I sat and flipped through one, reading the answers, which ranged from silly to profound. Some were clearly written in elementary schoolers’ handwriting, some in other languages. They expressed a wide range of sentiments, from gratitude and hope to frustration and despair.

Throughout the period of the exhibition, numerous events focused on fostering dialogue about American democracy will be held in the gallery space. This includes the weekly Common Sense Diner events, where people with differing political viewpoints share a meal and guided conversation. Participants are not asked to reach an agreement or change their views—only to ask questions, listen, and try to find care and common ground if they can.

This exhibition is unlike any other I have experienced at UMMA. It goes beyond artwork on gallery walls, fostering genuine delight, comfort and connection. If we want to build a stronger nation where everyone can flourish, maybe all we really need to do is just sit down together and talk.

“Hey, We Need to Talk!” is on display at UMMA until February 9, 2025.