Keith Carter: Seek & Find and The Politics of Rhetoric
September 13 — November 16, 2019
The Print Center is pleased to present two exhibitions this fall in conjunction with the Whitman at 200 initiative. Keith Carter: Seek & Find is a solo exhibition by the renowned Texas-based photographer dedicated to a new series that visually mediates the papers and ephemera of Walt Whitman held by the Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Collection, Duke University. The Politics of Rhetoric is a group exhibition of new and recent works by Bethany Collins, Sharon Hayes, Sarah McEneaney, Keris Salmon, María Verónica San Martín and Didier William that draw from archived materials, exposing the biases in our everyday language. These exhibitions are curated by Ksenia Nouril, PhD, The Print Center’s Jensen Bryan Curator.
Click to view exhibition images. Images are courtesy of the artist unless otherwise noted.
Keith Carter: Seek & Find
Photographs by the award-winning Texas-based photographer, who worked in the Walt Whitman Archives, Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Collection at Duke University
Keith Carter: Seek & Find is the artist’s first exhibition in Philadelphia and the premiere of his latest series “Walt Whitman: ‘Beautiful Imperfect Things’”. A nationally-recognized artist and teacher with an extraordinary roster of achievements, Carter embarked on this project while in North Carolina on a Cassilhaus Residency in 2018. The Duke University collection provided him access to the most intimate materials from the celebrated American writer’s life, including a well-preserved lock of the author’s hair. From Whitman’s personal correspondence with his mother to drafts of his magnum opus Leaves of Grass, Carter’s photographs explore the many sides of Whitman’s complex character. The exhibition and its public programs enrich the legacy of Whitman at the bicentennial of his birth as well as critically examine his ideas in light of current events.
The Politics of Rhetoric
Works by Bethany Collins, Sharon Hayes, Sarah McEneaney, Keris Salmon, María Verónica San Martín and Didier William that draw from archived materials, exposing the inherent biases in our everyday language
The Politics of Rhetoric is a group exhibition that brings together a diverse selection of new and recent works from across media that address the inherent biases in everyday language. Delving into a variety of personal and public archives for source material, the artists Bethany Collins, Sharon Hayes, Sarah McEneaney, Keris Salmon, María Verónica San Martín and Didier William draw our attention to how those in power manipulate words and phrases, so that they become gendered, racist and/or classist. The exhibition’s title is inspired by rhetoric – the ancient art of discourse – which plays to the logos (logic), pathos (emotions) and ethos (morals) of the listener. The artists in this exhibition explore the uses and abuses of rhetoric in their works, which feature texts pulled from sources, including audiotapes, musical scores, newspapers and the records of southern American plantations. Their works in print, photography, painting, video and performance art call us to think before we speak.
Installation view of work by Bethany Collins and Didier William. Photo: Jaime Alvarez
Installation view of work by Didier William and Sharon Hayes. Photo: Jaime Alvarez
Installation view of work by Sarah McEneaney. Photo: Jaime Alvarez
Installation view of work by Keris Salmon. Photo: Jaime Alvarez
Installation view of work by María Verónica San Martín. Photo: Jaime Alvarez
Bethany Collins, America: A Hymnal, 2017. Photo courtesy of the Artist and PATRON Gallery, Chicago
Bethany Collins, April 8, 1963, 2015. Photo courtesy of the Artist and PATRON Gallery, Chicago
Sharon Hayes, The Nature of the Beast, Kitty, 2019. Printed by Peter Haarz, Published by the Brodsky Center at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA). Photo courtesy of the Artist and the Brodsky Center, Philadelphia. Photo: Barbara Katus
Sharon Hayes, The Nature of the Beast, Voice, 2019. Printed by Peter Haarz, Published by the Brodsky Center at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA). Photo courtesy of the Artist and the Brodsky Center, Philadelphia. Photo: Barbara Katus
Sharon Hayes, The Nature of the Beast, Pussycat, 2019. Printed by Peter Haarz, Published by the Brodsky Center at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA). Photo courtesy of the Artist and the Brodsky Center, Philadelphia. Photo: Barbara Katus
Keris Salmon, Alexandre, from the series “We Have Made These Lands What They Are: The Architecture of Slavery,” 2016 – 2017. Published by Sockeyelabs. Photo courtesy the Artist and Arnika Dawkins Gallery, Atlanta
Keris Salmon, Here I Libs; Here I Dies!, from the series “We Have Made These Lands What They Are: The Architecture of Slavery,” 2016 – 2017. Published by Sockeyelabs. Photo courtesy the Artist and Arnika Dawkins Gallery, Atlanta
Keris Salmon, Ruins, from the series “We Have Made These Lands What They Are: The Architecture of Slavery,” 2016 – 2017. Published by Sockeyelabs. Photo courtesy the Artist and Arnika Dawkins Gallery, Atlanta
Keris Salmon, Tampa, from the series “We Have Made These Lands What They Are: The Architecture of Slavery,” 2016 – 2017. Published by Sockeyelabs. Photo courtesy the Artist and Arnika Dawkins Gallery, Atlanta
Sarah McEneaney, Untitled, from the series “#wehavenopresident”, 2016 – present
Sarah McEneaney, Untitled, from the series “#wehavenopresident”, 2016 – present
Sarah McEneaney, Untitled, from the series “#wehavenopresident”, 2016 – present
María Verónica San Martín, Dignidad, 2018, performance featuring 3 dancers and the artist at the National Archive of Chile. Photo: Catalina Riuort
María Verónica San Martín, Dignidad, 2019, performance featuring Paloma Estevez and the artist at The Center for Book Arts, New York. Photo: Wonwoo Lee
Click to view exhibition images. Images are courtesy of the artist unless otherwise noted.
Keris Salmon, Vitrol, from the series “We Have Made These Lands What They Are: The Architecture of Slavery,” 2016 – 2017. Published by Sockeyelabs. Photo courtesy the Artist and Arnika Dawkins Gallery, Atlanta
Keris Salmon, Draw Bands, from the series “We Have Made These Lands What They Are: The Architecture of Slavery,” 2016 – 2017. Published by Sockeyelabs. Photo courtesy the Artist and Arnika Dawkins Gallery, Atlanta
Keris Salmon, Cargo, from the series “We Have Made These Lands What They Are: The Architecture of Slavery,” 2016 – 2017. Published by Sockeyelabs. Photo courtesy the Artist and Arnika Dawkins Gallery, Atlanta
Keris Salmon, Alexandre, from the series “We Have Made These Lands What They Are: The Architecture of Slavery,” 2016 – 2017. Published by Sockeyelabs. Photo courtesy the Artist and Arnika Dawkins Gallery, Atlanta
Keris Salmon, Spot, from the series “We Have Made These Lands What They Are: The Architecture of Slavery,” 2016 – 2017. Published by Sockeyelabs. Photo courtesy the Artist and Arnika Dawkins Gallery, Atlanta
Keris Salmon, Love Him, from the series “We Have Made These Lands What They Are: The Architecture of Slavery,” 2016 – 2017. Published by Sockeyelabs. Photo courtesy the Artist and Arnika Dawkins Gallery, Atlanta
Keris Salmon, Dew and Damp, from the series “We Have Made These Lands What They Are: The Architecture of Slavery,” 2016 – 2017. Published by Sockeyelabs. Photo courtesy the Artist and Arnika Dawkins Gallery, Atlanta
Keris Salmon, Strong, from the series “We Have Made These Lands What They Are: The Architecture of Slavery,” 2016 – 2017. Published by Sockeyelabs. Photo courtesy the Artist and Arnika Dawkins Gallery, Atlanta
Keris Salmon, Ice Water, from the series “We Have Made These Lands What They Are: The Architecture of Slavery,” 2016 – 2017. Published by Sockeyelabs. Photo courtesy the Artist and Arnika Dawkins Gallery, Atlanta
Keris Salmon, Sugar, from the series “We Have Made These Lands What They Are: The Architecture of Slavery,” 2016 – 2017. Published by Sockeyelabs. Photo courtesy the Artist and Arnika Dawkins Gallery, Atlanta
Keris Salmon, Tampa, from the series “We Have Made These Lands What They Are: The Architecture of Slavery,” 2016 – 2017. Published by Sockeyelabs. Photo courtesy the Artist and Arnika Dawkins Gallery, Atlanta
Keris Salmon, Water, from the series “We Have Made These Lands What They Are: The Architecture of Slavery,” 2016 – 2017. Published by Sockeyelabs. Photo courtesy the Artist and Arnika Dawkins Gallery, Atlanta
Keris Salmon, Wife, from the series “We Have Made These Lands What They Are: The Architecture of Slavery,” 2016 – 2017. Published by Sockeyelabs. Photo courtesy the Artist and Arnika Dawkins Gallery, Atlanta
Keris Salmon, Remain, from the series “We Have Made These Lands What They Are: The Architecture of Slavery,” 2016 – 2017. Published by Sockeyelabs. Photo courtesy the Artist and Arnika Dawkins Gallery, Atlanta
Keris Salmon, Ruins, from the series “We Have Made These Lands What They Are: The Architecture of Slavery,” 2016 – 2017. Published by Sockeyelabs. Photo courtesy the Artist and Arnika Dawkins Gallery, Atlanta
Keris Salmon, Leave 'em Rest, from the series “We Have Made These Lands What They Are: The Architecture of Slavery,” 2016 – 2017. Published by Sockeyelabs. Photo courtesy the Artist and Arnika Dawkins Gallery, Atlanta
Keris Salmon, Here I Libs; Here I Dies!, from the series “We Have Made These Lands What They Are: The Architecture of Slavery,” 2016 – 2017. Published by Sockeyelabs. Photo courtesy the Artist and Arnika Dawkins Gallery, Atlanta
Click to view images
A Closer Look at Keris Salmon's series "The Architecture of Slavery"
"As I thought this body of work had been laid to rest, at least for the summer, I was both horrified and gratified that "The Architecture of Slavery" has had a resurrection. One thing about this work is that its message is quiet but resonant. While, for a variety of reasons, I could not take part in any protests, this work is my form of resistance, in the form of reflection. How did we get here? Read these words, take these images in. It's right there in front of you."
- Keris Salmon, June 2020
About Whitman at 200: Art and Democracy
Whitman at 200: Art and Democracy, organized by the University of Pennsylvania Libraries’ Kislak Center is a region-wide series of cultural events initiated in partnership with organizations throughout the region, as well as four new artistic commissions supported by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage. The celebration marks the bicentennial of Walt Whitman, America’s “poet of democracy,” who was born on May 31, 1819. Whitman lived the last two decades of his life in Camden, New Jersey, across the Delaware River from Philadelphia. In 2019, we recognize his connection to the region and his far-reaching relevance today.
The Print Center is a partner of Whitman at 200: Art and Democracy. These exhibitions are presented in dialogue with this initiative, Whitman’s work and his far-reaching relevance.
The Print Center is pleased to acknowledge the support of Common Press; The Libby Newman Visiting Artist Lecture, Fine Arts, Expanded Drawing+Printmaking, The University of the Arts; The Emily and Jerry Spiegel Fund to Support Contemporary Culture and Visual Arts and the Lise and Jeffrey Wilks Family Foundation Artist Residency from the University of Pennsylvania Undergraduate Program in Fine Arts and Design; Whitman at 200; and Anna Zorina Gallery, New York for their support.
PAST EXHIBITION RELATED PROGRAMMING + EVENTS
All of The Print Center's Exhibitions and Programs are free and open to the public.
Gallery Talk & Book Launch, The Print Center
Wednesday, October 2, 6:00pm Keith Carter led a walkthrough of the exhibition Keith Carter: Seek & Find which was followed by a signing of his newest book Keith Carter: Fifty Years (University of Texas Press, 2018).
Lecture by Keith Carter, University of Pennsylvania
Kislak Center, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center, 3420 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Thursday, October 3, 6:00pm Keith Carter spoke about his career with a focus on his most recent series “Walt Whitman: ‘Beautiful Imperfect Things’”.
Lecture by Bethany Collins, The University of the Arts
Gershman Hall, Elaine C. Levitt Auditorium, 401 South Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19102
Thursday, October 10, 1:00pm Bethany Collins spoke about her career, exploring how race and language interact in her work through drawing, printmaking, sculpture and performance.
Conversation with Bethany Collins, The Print Center
Thursday, October 10, 6:00pm Bethany Collins joined Philadelphia-based writer and editor Amber Rose Johnson in conversation about her works within the context of the exhibition The Politics of Rhetoric.
Panel on Race, Sexuality, and Whitman, The Print Center
Wednesday, October 16, 6:00pm
Writer Lavelle Porter, artist Jonathan Lyndon Chase and Whitman at 200 curator Judith Tannenbaum will join Ksenia Nouril in a panel discussion addressing race and sexuality in the work of Walt Whitman. Using examples from their respective practices as examples, the panelists will reflect on the implications of Whitman’s writings on issues of race and sexuality today.
Letterpress Workshop with Common Press, The Print Center
Saturday, November 2, 1:00 – 3:00pm
Master printer Mary Tasillo of Common Press, the letterpress and book arts studio at the University of Pennsylvania, will lead an interactive, hands-on workshop inspired by Whitman’s poetry. Spotlight talks on topics including the technique of letterpress and the history of Whitman as a printmaker will take place throughout the duration of the workshop.
Performance by María Verónica San Martín, The Print Center Thursday, November 7, 6:00pm María Verónica San Martín will perform a 30-minute, endurance-driven performance in conjunction with her installation Dignidad. The performance features a musical composition based on audiotapes of conversations recorded at the infamously isolated Chilean settlement, founded in the 1960s by Nazi agents.
Panel with Sharon Hayes, Sarah McEneaney and Keris Salmon, The Print Center
Wednesday, November 13, 6:00pm Sharon Hayes, Sarah McEneaney and Keris Salmon will join Ksenia Nouril in conversation about their works within the context of the exhibition The Politics of Rhetoric.
