Timely Conversations

Timely Conversations

JANUARY 29th – MARCH 21st, 2026

Timely Conversations brings together contemporary artworks from the Wake Forest University Art Collections that examine the complex relationships between history and time. Through carefully paired works, the exhibition invites visitors to consider how artists across cultures and generations engage with the past to address pressing issues in the present.

This selection of artworks from the Wake Forest University Art Collection showcases contemporary artists who explore the interconnected themes of history and time. Artworks are presented in dynamic pairs to spark unexpected connections and dialogue on a wide array of global topics including those related to identity, art, archival erasure, and the environment. Here you will encounter works by artists like Robert Colescott and Glenn Ligon, who employ vastly different artistic styles to reexamine race in American history. Martine Gutierrez and Shahzia Sikander address dominant Western art historical narratives of the body to expand and destabilize the canon. Suchitra Mattai and Jay Lynn Gomez offer layered perspectives on labor informed by their personal histories of migration.

These combinations bring together paintings, photographs, and mixed media works by artists deeply engaged with different time periods, cultures, and art movements. The juxtapositions encourage us to reconsider the past through the present and to reflect on our collective and individual experiences. Conversation is highly encouraged but not required!

Please join us for the Opening Reception on January 29th, from 5-7 PM.