University Galleries Announces Spring Exhibitions

This spring, Montclair State University Galleries will present two new exhibitions starting January 31: Caroline Garcia’s Dancing on Axes and Spears on view through April 21 in the George Segal Gallery, and Case Studies 2: Justin Cloud – The Garden, on view through July 31, 2023, in the Kasser Theater lobby. The exhibitions and programs are free and open to the public.

Last year, University Galleries Director Megan C. Austin and Curator Jesse Bandler Firestone initiated a new exhibition series in the Kasser Theater lobby known as Case Studies, which pairs solo presentations from contemporary artists with objects in the University Galleries’ collection. The Garden features new and recent sculptures by Justin Cloud of machine-like flora and fauna that portray changes across American industries.

The artist depicts plants and animals through images of orchids, mammals and birds which loosely resemble those endemic to the Americas. Cloud deliberately avoids realistic representation and hints at a speculative future in which familiar plants and animals are altered and less recognizable as a result of technological intervention.

“With astounding skill, Cloud creates sculptures that echo both the utopian potential and the dystopian possibilities of a heavily technologized world,” says Firestone. “Alluding to recent developments in bioengineering and highly automated agriculture, Cloud calls into question the impacts of technology on human and non-human environs alike.”

Dancing on Axes and Spears is Caroline Garcia’s first solo museum exhibition in the U.S. Garcia’s work examines her Filipino identity from diasporic and feminist perspectives. Garcia’s art reflects feelings of belonging and alienation through a variety of mediums and approaches. She addresses the central theme of “alterity,” an anthropological term for “otherness,” to mark her position in the diaspora, where language barriers, distance and colonization fracture traditional knowledge.

“Her reverence for Indigenous practices, sensitivity to issues of authenticity, and embrace of corresponding nuances related to her diasporic identity create a complicated, sentimental, and layered exhibition that conveys overlapping issues that are not easily distilled,” says Firestone.

The Segal Gallery will also host a series of scheduled programs and events to promote the themes and content of the exhibition. An opening reception and live performance of martial arts-inspired choreography will be held on Feb. 2 from 5-7 p.m., and a curator’s tour will be held in the Gallery on Feb. 9 from 2-3 p.m.

Director Austin explains that both Garcia’s and Cloud’s works align with the Gallery’s mission and curatorial vision.

“Our two new solo exhibitions offer a wide range of academic and cultural points for engagement with faculty, students and the greater community,” Austin says. “We look forward to welcoming visitors, exchanging ideas and continuing the work we’ve been doing at Montclair State.”

The Segal Gallery is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from noon-5 p.m., Thursdays from noon-7 p.m. and on select Saturdays by appointment. The Kasser Theater lobby is open on Tuesdays from noon-6 p.m.

For additional information, visit the University Galleries website at montclair.edu/galleries.