William Christenberry (American, 1936 – 2016) possessed a remarkable ability to speak through a diversity of mediums. His initial fame was ignited by the attention attracted by his photographs. As his career progressed, the number of works in different mediums increased. Each piece played a part in an increasingly complex oeuvre. The cross-referencing and dialogue between works in different mediums push viewers to ask probing questions about place, heritage, and identity.
On view from November 10 – December 19 is an exhibition of three Christenberry sculptures and related photographs and works on paper. Each sculpture presents a distinctly different dramatic vision. The earliest sculpture in the show, "Roadside Tableaux," is a semi-abstraction calling to mind a lonely rural school bus stop. "Night Spot," a thoroughly representational sculpture, speaks of the nobility of a humble juke joint. "Southern Monument XXIII," constructed from decaying remnants of the southern landscape, is a monument to the pathos of passing time. The framed works in the exhibition were selected for the subject matter and visual relationships to the three sculptures.