Exhibitions

Case Studies 1: Damien Davis - OLD CURRENCIES

Damien DavisMontclair, NJ - Sep 01, 2022 - Dec 09, 2022

Three works by artist Damien Davis, two framed figurative prints and one black abstract wall sculpture, installed on a white wall behind a glass case at Montclair State University.

Case Studies is a new series of exhibitions in the Alexander Kasser Theater Cases initiated by Montclair State University's Director Megan C. Austin and Curator Jesse Bandler Firestone.

Case Studies 1: Damien Davis – OLD CURRENCIES brings together new and recent works by Damien Davis that explore Blackness through symbols, shapes, colors, and digital technology.

Cowrie shells, tobacco leaves, and anatomical shapes appear throughout the exhibition to explore themes of currency, sex, and cultural traditions that connect a wide range of experiences within the African diaspora. In the Blackamoors print series, made exclusively using Adobe Illustrator’s “Ancient” preset color palette, Davis investigates how classifications and nomenclature within digital softwares relate to perceptions of identity and culture.

Photos

  • Two large, mixed-media wall sculptures by artist Damien Davis installed on a white wall behind a glass case at Montclair State University.
  • Three works by artist Damien Davis, two framed figurative prints and one black abstract wall sculpture, installed on a white wall behind a glass case at Montclair State University.
  • Two framed digital prints and three abstract wall sculptures by artist Damien Davis installed on a white wall behind a glass case at Montclair State University.
  • Framed digital prints and abstract sculptures by artist Damien Davis installed in a row behind a glass case at Montclair State University.

Process

Artists

  • Damien DavisNewark, NJ

    Damien Davis (b. 1984) is a Newark, New Jersey-based artist and writer whose work explores cultural representation, identity, and the ways meaning is constructed through form. Working in layered, laser-cut acrylic and mixed media, he builds modular “symbol lexicons” that remix iconography from history, technology, and pop culture. Damien has exhibited at institutions including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, MoMA, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Museum of Arts and Design. His public art commissions include projects for MTA Arts & Design in New York. In addition to his studio practice, Damien is a contributing writer for Hyperallergic, where he examines the intersections of art, race, and power. He teaches at SUNY Purchase College.

    Artist Page

Visit

Location

The Alexander Kasser Theater Cases at Montclair State University

1 Normal Ave

Montclair, NJ

Dates

Sep 1, 2022-Dec 9, 2022
Plan your visit

Events

Opening ReceptionSep 22, 2022
RSVP