Details
The nine diverse works of American art in this exhibition span from 1915 to 2020, representing a remarkable slice of American art history. This selection weaves together ideas of identity, childhood, and environment. Through diverse mediums, styles, and cultural contexts, these works offer insights into the personal, cultural, and artistic conversations that shape our world. This project is made possible through our remarkable partnership with Art Bridges, whose mission is to bring art out of storage and into communities across America.
Themes of both celebrated and forgotten identities appear throughout—from the mystery of Richard Prince’s Nurse Elsa to the individuality of Alex Katz’s Dark Glasses and the haunting imagery of Edouard Duval-Carrié’s Lost at Sea. Rachel Rose’s Lake Valley transports us to the bittersweet nostalgia of childhood, where memories feel both real and imagined. Pop culture and American consumerism are brought into the conversation with Robert Gober’s Untitled (butter), which turns the familiar into something strange. Frank Stella’s maze-like Cinema de Pepsi Sketch I and Max Weber’s Interior with Music explore color, shape, and detail in bold ways. Félix González-Torres’ participatory work Untitled (L.A.) and Alfred Conteh’s Malik and Marquis invite reflection on friendship, loss and human connection.
Together, these works explore social issues that feel especially relevant today in the American political landscape—ideas of home, belonging, community, and time. Each artwork tells its own story, but together they create a larger history and experience. This exhibition does more than reflect the world: it helps us understand it and imagine the future we want to create.
Exhibition Highlights
Related Programming
Friday, Feb 27 at 5:30 PM: Champagne Reception for exhibition sponsors and Museum Circle members.
Friday, Feb 27 from 6–8 PM: Member preview for Once Upon Now. SLOMA members and their guests can tour the exhibition before the general public.
Every Saturday at 11 AM: Join a free tour of the exhibition led by our trained docents. Check in at the front desk.
Contamos con visitas guiadas en español, las puedes solicitar al correo esaperstein@sloma.org para agendar.
Download for Free: SLOMA’s Exhibition Curriculum Guide is a resource designed to help parents and educators engage children and students with the themes and artworks featured in our museum exhibition. It provides background information, discussion questions, and activities that align with the exhibition’s content. Click to image to download your copy. Presented thanks to the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the exhibition sponsors.
This exhibition is generously presented by
Additional support provided by
