Complex Uncertainties: Artists in Postwar America

“The complexity of the past renders it nearly incomprehensible, and its subjectivity mocks all who propose tidy conclusions.”

—Dr. Mark Carnes, Professor of American History

Complex Uncertainties: Artists in Postwar America, is a rotating exhibition grounded by works in Telfair’s modern and contemporary collection. Comprising paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, sculptures, and works in new media that represent American art achievement from 1945 to today, the collection offers a rich and unique institutional story. It highlights artistic production at its most ambitious through strong representative works that capture the essence of an artist's style; experimental works that provide clues to artistic transitions and individual narratives; and uncommon works that enrich our understanding of the history of as well as the current complex state of American art.

American art shines a light on the history of the United States, and contemporary art, by its nature, reflects the times that encompass our lives. From the rise of America as a world superpower to the increasingly global ecosystems and technologies that homog­enize American culture today, artists address the many ways history is lived and represented; they are avant-garde harbingers of social and intellec­tual progress.

Complex Uncertainties acknowledges the evolving conditions contemporary artists react to and create within, which can be traced in terms of an ever-evolv­ing reaction to one’s present: the present political, the present social, the present cultural. Through this long-term and evolving installation, you can explore the impact of artistic responses to specific historical events, and also palpably empathize with an expand­ing sentiment of unease and uncertainty that artists articulate through artmaking.

Exploring Unknowns, Constructing Narratives, and Responding to Power

This exhibition introduces three undercurrents that permeate artmaking after the conclusion of World War II: how artists create new aesthetics and artistic styles by exploring unknowns; how artists act as storytellers and respond to their environments by constructing narratives; and how artists challenge the status quo by interpreting and responding to power.

These themes correspond to many of the artworks in this exhibition; however, the works also offer multiple points of access, offering space for you to question viewpoints and form individual meaning. Exhibitions allow for unconventional ways of looking at and in­terpreting artworks, and in turn, offer moments to consider new ideas and expand world views.

Contemporary art is the art of today. We’re simulta­neously writing and critiquing current history through the exploration of new artistic expressions. The way contemporary artists approach ideas and solutions to the world around us is critical to our present day and our collective futures. Art makes a difference both during the time in which it was made, and the time in which it is experienced.

As you walk through the exhibition, consider these themes while putting yourself in the artist’s shoes during the time in which the object was made. We encourage you to make connections between the chronological timeline of American events from 1945-2020 on our skyway and the artworks in this gallery, and to return often to see new works on view.