Conscious, Subconscious, (Collective) Unconscious
February 11 – March 4
Opening Reception: Fri., Feb. 11, 5-8pm
EVENT PROGRAMMING (taking place at The Anderson unless otherwise noted):
February 20: 2pm, Dream Workshop with Psychic medium Evana Roman
February 22: 6:30pm, Pluto Return Ceremony with Hominid Priest
February 24: 6pm, Being Present and Feeling Connected, from VCU Psychology Dept. with PHD Candidate Dr. Polina Beloborodova
February 28: 7pm on Zoom, Consciousness: The Science, Metaphysics, and Poetics with neurologist Dr. Eben Alexander, Dr. Polina Beloborodova, and Filmmaker/ Traditional African cosmologist Marques Redd.
The Anderson is pleased to present Conscious, Subconscious, (Collective) Unconscious, an exhibition of 30 artists curated by VCUarts alumni Peat Szilagyi (Sculpture + Extended Media MFA, 2020) and Monica Kinsey (Art History MA, 2019).
Conscious, Subconscious, (Collective) Unconscious is an exhibition exploring the ineffable notion of consciousness—the cosmic fluid that animates our existence, yet eludes scientific definition. At the nexus of science, philosophy, religion and art, consciousness research is an often goalless pursuit that draws attention to present lived experience while attempting to understand the function of subjectivity. The works by the artists in this exhibition explore consciousness as it is informed by a culturescape of technology, religion and surveillance; the subconscious as an irrational basis for our desires, fears and most abstract impulses; and the collective unconscious as a realm of archetypes and influences both internal and external to unique identity. By lending physicality or language to otherwise inexpressible experiences of dream logic, perception and intuition, the works in this exhibition function as talismans, holding viewers at the hazy precipice between interior and exterior experience.
In addition to the works on display, the exhibition will be accompanied by discussions from researchers in the fields of neuroscience, psychology and comparative religions, as well as workshops and performances by intuitive artists and spiritual practitioners. Books on topics related to consciousness research and perceptual exploration are available in the accompanying exhibition library.
Participating Artists:
Zody Burke
Kendall Buster
Raúl Aguilar Canela
Mahari Chabwera
John Chae
Lowe Fehn
Micah Giraudeau
Joan Gaustad
Carol Golemboski
Julie Grosche & Florian Sumi
GM Keaton
Haley Matis-Uzzo
Molly McFadden
Michael Jones McKean
August Neuscheler
Mariana Parisca
Seven Phillips
Hominid Priest
Ricardo Vicente Jose Ruiz
Krysta Sá
Troy Scully
Fred Smith
Rob Snyder
C. A. P. Ward
Danner Washburn
Katherine Wetzel & Elizabeth King
agustine zegers & Peat Szilagyi
Poster designed by Mariah Barden Jones