Visual Arts: Marx@200, SPACE Gallery | Pressroom

PITTSBURGH CULTURAL TRUST ANNOUNCES

MARX@200 EXHIBITION
IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY HUMANITIES CENTER

PITTSBURGH, PA – Karl Marx is one of the most influential and controversial thinkers in history. To explore Marx’s continued influence at the time of his bicentennial, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Carnegie Mellon University’s Humanities Center will present Marx@200 from April 6 through June 10 at SPACE gallery in downtown Pittsburgh.

Curated by CMU’s Kathy M. Newman and Susanne Slavick, Marx@200 will feature more than 25 works by artists from around the world. The artworks represent a diverse range of perspectives on Marx and his critique of inequality and capitalism, as well as his influence on political movements and regimes.

“As artists respond to both historical and current conditions, Marx’s legacy has shaped how and what they create,” said Newman, associate professor of English, who has also organized a series of lectures that examine Marx. “He is also becoming a popular culture icon in the digital age, with his image being used in countless memes and on products. We want to give people a chance to examine these phenomena and to reflect on the themes these artists have appropriated for their own work, from the rising tide of globalization to wealth inequality, to job loss and automation.”

Highlights from the exhibition include:

Ukranian-born Nataliya Slinko’s gigantic version of Marx’s beard made of steel wool
An animated Marx wielding a hammer in battle with Charles Darwin by Michael Mallis
Kiluanji Kia Henda’s photographic triptych of a fishing vessel named “Karl Marx, Luanda”
Kathryn Clark’s “Foreclosure Quilt,” a stitched urban map of foreclosed homes, block by block
A tiny embroidered barcode by Rayna Fahey that says, “Don’t just buy it/Make Revolution”

“Artists working within a variety of economic and political systems have contributed to this show, responding to Marx’s complicated legacy with appreciation or apprehension—and sometimes both. They invite us to consider his critique of capitalism and what it feels like to live in today’s globalized economy,” said Slavick, the Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Art.

Marx@200 includes work by: Lauren F. Adams, Maja Bajevic, Joshua Bienko, Matt Bollinger, Mel Chin, Kathryn Clark, Condé + Beveridge, Jeanette Ehlers, Rayna Fahey, Cao Fei, Coco Fusco, Kilouanji Kia Henda, Alfredo Jaar, Andrew Ellis Johnson, Gqunta Lungiswa, Christin Lahr, Tavia LaFollette, Michael Mallis, Paolo Pedercini, Erik Ruin of Just Seeds, Elin Slavick, Dread Scott, Nataliya Slinko, Shinique Smith, Jina Valentine, Kirsty Whitlock, and Imin Yeh, among others.

In addition to regular gallery hours, there will be an opening reception on Friday, April 6 from 6-8 p.m. The exhibition will be open during the Cultural District Gallery Crawl on Friday, April 27 from 5:30-10 p.m., and a Marx bicentennial program and reception will be held on Saturday, May 5 from 7-9 p.m. For a full schedule of events, including lectures and performances, visit: https://www.cmu.edu/dietrich/humanities-center/center-events/marx-200-events.html.

SPACE is located at 812 Liberty Ave. Gallery hours are Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.; and Sundays 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. It is free and open to the public.

Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has overseen one of Pittsburgh’s most historic transformations: turning a seedy red-light district into a magnet destination for arts lovers, residents, visitors, and business owners. Founded in 1984, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a non-profit arts organization whose mission is the cultural and economic revitalization of a 14-block arts and entertainment/residential neighborhood called the Cultural District. The District is one of the country’s largest land masses “curated” by a single nonprofit arts organization. A major catalytic force in the city, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a unique model of how public-private partnerships can reinvent a city with authenticity, innovation and creativity. Using the arts as an economic catalyst, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has holistically created a world-renowned Cultural District that is revitalizing the city, improving the regional economy and enhancing Pittsburgh’s quality of life. Thanks to the support of foundations, corporations, government agencies and thousands of private citizens, the Cultural Trust stands as a national model of urban redevelopment through the arts. For more information about all gallery exhibitions featured in the Cultural District, please visit TrustArts.org.