On display RIGHT NOW in our main wing is ‘Reconstruct,’ New Portraits by Michael Goe.
Goe is an artist and museum professional who holds a Master of Arts degree in painting from Adams State University. His passion for art came from years of living in rural areas that had limited access to cultural events. In 2014, while living in an area of Colorado still considered to be the frontier by the U.S. Government, Michael started the city’s very first monthly Art Walk. Through this experience he saw how art can connect people from different backgrounds and create meaningful interactions which have the power to strengthen a community. Michael came to Hamilton from Detroit, Michigan, where he pursued his artistic passions through working at the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit.
This exhibition is comprised of portraits of close friends and acquaintances Michael has had the pleasure of knowing. By painting portraits, “I pay homage to the relationships that have influenced me at various stages throughout my life.” He continues, “The process of painting encourages me to consider how the subject’s life and my own life have interwoven. These portraits are the people who have helped me along the way, either through deep connections or short-lived meaningful interactions. People are connected to place and memory. Each brush stroke gives me space to reflect on where I’ve come from and the time to imagine where I am going. Creating artwork for this exhibition has granted me the opportunity to remind myself of the importance of inter-connectedness and reconstruct memories of people, places, and self-growth.”
This exhibit will run until December 31, 2021.
Oh, and did we mention Michael is our newest part-time Circulation Assistant? If you like what you see in our gallery, you can tell him in person!
Thank you for reading.
