A Very Anxious Feeling: Voices of Unrest in the American Experience - Catalog - Page 8
FOREWORD
Cindy M. Petersen, EdM
We welcome everyone to the Taubman Museum of Art to
experience—in person or virtually—the premier exhibition
A Very Anxious Feeling: Voices of Unrest in the American
Experience; 20 Years of the Beth Rudin DeWoody Collection.
The exhibition features Latinx and Latin American artists
living and working in the United States. It is our hope to give
voice to these artists in a way that will not only encourage
deep thinking among those who experience A Very Anxious
Feeling, but that the artwork showcased throughout will also
help spur shared dialogue—be it in overt public forums or
more quietly among family and friends.
Presenting this exhibition in the fall of 2020 is particularly
timely, as it debuts in a year in which unrest has been at the
forefront of our national dialogue. The spring of 2020 saw
the emergence of the COVID-19 global pandemic, which was
followed closely by an increasingly impassioned national
discourse on the subject of racism in America. Indeed, the
words “a very anxious feeling” could well be used to define
the year 2020, as it is a certainty that nearly all Americans
have experienced anxieties on a personal level.
Thus, the timeliness and foci of the 57 artists featured in
A Very Anxious Feeling provide a strong platform for
expanding existing dialogues. Each of these artists challenge
us to engage with their artwork with both our minds and our
hearts, welcoming introspection and seeking answers to the
questions they pose. The artworks speak to us and our times
with each presenting a profound, rich, and resonating story.
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At the Taubman Museum of Art, we seek to understand deep
and important issues so that we can serve our community
and continue to effectively honor our mission to bring people
and art together for discovery, learning, and enjoyment. We
believe that A Very Anxious Feeling exemplifies this endeavor
in both the exhibitions and programming.
Our deepest gratitude goes to collector Beth Rudin DeWoody
for her collaborative spirit in sharing great works from her
extraordinary collection with our community for a second
time. Our gratitude extends to her curatorial liaison team of
Laura Dvorkin and Maynard Monrow as they have been more
than generous in sharing their time and expertise, as well as
in helping us make important connections to the featured
artists.
The expert curation of this exhibition by co-curators
Amethyst Rey Beaver, Assistant Curator at 21c Museum
Hotels, and Eva Thornton, Assistant Curator at the Taubman
Museum of Art, is evident in the thoughtful, accessible, and
emotionally engaging presentation of these works. Thank
you, Amethyst and Eva.
We also are humbled and grateful for Joanne Leonhardt
Cassullo’s guidance and support, and her keen ability to make
a pattern of connections leaves us in awe. Our recognition
extends to the foundations with which Joanne is associated,
including the Dorothea L. Leonhardt Foundation, Inc., and the
Dorothea Leonhardt Fund at the Communities Foundation of
Texas, Inc.
