511 Warburton Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10701
February 2 – September 1, 2024
Featuring Courtney M. Leonard, Paul Scott , and Jason Walker
In Rivers Flow / Artists Connect, American artists from the 1820s to the present day explore and illuminate our profound, symbiotic relationship with significant rivers across the globe, from the Hudson and the Susquehanna to the Indus and the Seine.
The cultural, societal, and spiritual significance of rivers is universal, as proven by their lasting presence in art and our collective imagination. In Rivers Flow / Artists Connect, American artists from the 1820s to the present day explore and illuminate our profound, symbiotic relationship with significant waterways, such as the Hudson River, the Susquehanna, and the Missouri, as well as symbolic representations.
The Hudson River Museum’s new West Wing galleries, basking in a dramatic view of the Hudson River and the Palisades, are an opportune setting for this exhibition. It features works by more than forty exceptional artists exploring various aspects of river subject matter from diverse perspectives and heritages. Together, the artists demonstrate—through painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture, and video—their role in recalling and reinforcing our instinctive connection with rivers.
The exhibition considers these bodies of water through aesthetic, functional, spiritual, and ecological lenses. The Allure of the River section addresses the interrelation of scenic beauty and our attraction to rivers. In Sustainer of Life, artists investigate the essential need for access to rivers for water, food, and transportation—our daily infrastructure—as well as profound sacred connections. Finally, Endangered Rivers: A Call to Action reflects on urbanization, industry, and the critical need for continued conservation and activism.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
In many ways, the artists and the rivers they depict are kindred spirits. Just as rivers shape the land and surmount obstacles on their inexorable journey to the sea, artists also boldly confront barriers and challenges, from land access to environmental change. Their creative expressions help us see rivers with new eyes, and perhaps even a renewed sense of wonder, connection, and purpose, as we consider our own community’s rivers and our own responsibility for stewardship.
The exhibition is co-curated by Laura Vookles, Chair of HRM’s Curatorial Department, and guest curator Jennifer McGregor.
FEATURED ARTISTS
Norman Akers • Joe Baker • James Bard • Bahar Behbahani • Karl Bodmer • Daniel Putnam Brinley • Lorenzo Clayton and Jacob Burckhardt • James & Ralph Clews • Samuel Colman • Betsy Damon • John Douglas • Joellyn Duesberry • Robert S. Duncanson • Elaine Galen • Scherezade Garcia • John Hill and William Guy Wall • Daniel Ridgeway Knight • Courtney M. Leonard • Rejin Leys • Maya Lin • Mary Fairchild Low • Ellen Kozak • John Maggiotto • James McElhinney • Frances McGuire • Alison Moritsugu • Tammy Nguyen • Don Nice • Jon Louis Nielsen • James Prosek • Winfred Rembert • Alexis Rockman • Shuli Sadé • Charlotte Schulz • Madge Scott • Paul Scott • Francis Augustus Silva • Joseph Squillante • Jerome Strauss • William Villalongo • Jason Walker • Mansheng Wang • Susan Wides • Tom Yost
PROGRAMMING
Gallery Talk with Artist Courtney M. Leonard
Sunday, June 16, 2024 | 1:30pm