The Southern Utah Museum of Art’s opening reception brought the public in for the first viewing of three new exhibits: “Resistance, Memory, Play,” “Reclaiming Agency” and “Jimmie Jones: My Passion, My Odyssey.”
Joseph DeLappe’s “Resistance, Memory, Play” is a look at the darker relationships between art, technology and social issues through the art of repetition and interactive pieces that force you to take a closer look.
“Walking into the museum feels heavy,” said SUU student Sarah Hutchings. “It’s one of the most powerful exhibits I’ve seen at SUMA. It shows a glimpse of what it’s like to live in a war-stricken country.”
Pieces throughout the museum include sculptures, videos, altered paintings and an array of drawings done through mouse tracking.
One of the most notable pieces is an interactive two-player video game. One player acts as a villager, collecting points and exploring the area. The other player acts as a drone operator, targeting the village that the other player is exploring. As the drone operator strikes the village, the screen distorts and harsh music plays in the background, filling the villager’s player with anxiety as they try to find shelter. Nothing changes for the drone operator—a clear message on what distance does in the act of taking a life.
“I hate it,” SUU student Maddie Bradley said. “Yet, I was grateful for having experienced it, as it helped me to understand the other side of attacks.”
The second exhibit, “Reclaiming Agency,” featured the work of 10 Ukrainian female photographers as they worked in the decades following the independence of Ukraine in 1991.
Each photograph captures a feeling of cultural, political and military conflicts. However, despite the problems each woman faces, a rich narrative of their lives, communities and cultures are all found within the frame.
Both exhibits are available for viewing until Dec. 23, 2022.
The final exhibit, “Jimmie Jones: My Passion, My Odyssey,” will be on display until March 4. Six Grand Canyon paintings stretch across the back of the museum, their rich colors and soft lighting transports the viewer to each lookout point.
Each painting was done by Jimmie F. Jones, a member of the prominent Cedar City family. Jones donated the collection to SUMA in 2007.
More information on the exhibits can be found here.
Article by: Audrey Gee
accent@suunews.net
Photos by Audrey Gee
