Exempla

Exempla: Gordon in Orvieto 20th Anniversary

On view: August 25–October 13, 2018
Reception: Saturday, September 29, 1–3 p.m. 

Historically, exempla have been most commonly understood in literary terms, thought of as short, illustrative anecdotes. However, they are equally present in the visual motifs and traditions of Italian churches and public institutions. Think of the Sistine Chapel, the Scrovegni Chapel, and the Chapel of the Corporal in the Duomo, all covered with visual narratives that serve as examples to be read, cross-referenced, and used for instruction and encouragement. They might even speak today, if we are prepared to look.

Just as the Gordon in Orvieto program emphasizes and celebrates the spirit of context and encounter in art, this anniversary exhibition seeks to showcase the rich connections among twenty years-worth of students and teachers, all of whom once shared a common place of making and study. The show will be filled with exempla that have the possibility to speak in a new, re-situated context.