The Place as Metaphor

Ideas of place can range from a physical location or imagined setting, to a state of mind or a constructed memory of a past experience. Whether literal as in Jonas Lie’s Dusk on Lower Broadway, fictional as in Rachel Rose’s video piece Lake Valley, or symbolic as in Josephine Halvorson’s Measure 4 (10’), visual representations of place invite reflections on identity, belonging, travel, memory, faith, and daily life. How do our surroundings affect the way we see ourselves? Are we defined by the land we inhabit? How do politics or religion shape our ideas of certain parts of the world? The works on view illustrate diverse manifestations of the notion of place and encourage artistic dialogues across centuries and geographic locations.

The exhibition examines diverse viewpoints when considering places of devotion, the city, landscape, the artist's experience, politics, and places beyond the immediate. Featuring a selection of collection favorites, works that have not been on view in a long time, and new acquisitions, The Place as Metaphor invites conversations about the multiple meanings of place. Several loans from the Art Bridges Foundation, whose mission is to share outstanding works of American Art with other institutions, supplement the installation.

Support for this exhibition comes from the Director’s Circle and the General Exhibition Fund of the Cornell Fine Arts Museum. Additional support comes from the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. The Cornell Fine Arts Museum is generously funded, in part, by Rollins College, Winter Park, FL.