Battleground States

Battleground States brings together artists who critically engage with the discourse of visual culture and gender studies. Through video, sculpture, installation, and photography, these works explore ideas of how figuration and identity are connected.

The exhibition begins with Utah artist Trevor Southey as his process of self-realization has made him an art historical pivot when discussing gender politics within the culture of Utah. The narrative continues by presenting generations of artists across the globe, leading the viewer along a path of self-realization in which concepts of coupling or completing the self are represented as spiritual quests.

Battleground States analyzes the space between traditional gender duality by exploring alternative forms such as the third gender, a generally foreign concept in Western culture. In their non-Western roles, these alternative identities denote a space for possibility and transcendence. The exhibition moves towards notions of the “post-gender” as a way to better understand how our cultural diversities open up interpretations of a third space.

Featured Artists

Daniel Albrigo; Absalon; Bas Jan Ader; Matthew Barney; Tobias Bernstrup; Robin Black; Nayland Blake; AA Bronson; Heather Cassils; Nicole Eisenman; Felix Gonzalez-Torres; Jonathan Horowitz; Trishelle Jeffrey; Amy Jorgensen; Asma Kazmi; Terence Koh; Annie Leibowitz; David Levine; Matt Lipps; Georges Minne; Carlos Motta; Takashi Murakami; Shirin Neshat; Bertrand Planes; Genesis Breyer P-orridge; Dean Sameshima; Jack Smith; Trevor Southey; David Wojnarowicz; Patrick Tuttofuoco; Guido van der Werve