THE ATHENAEUM: Many art galleries across town are reopening this month with new exhibitions for the winter season. The most exciting is “Kara Walker: Back of Hand” at The Athenaeum, the first solo exhibition held in Georgia to spotlight this internationally renowned artist. Recognized for her stark silhouette figures that candidly investigate race, gender, sexuality and violence, she’ll share a series of new works on paper contemplating racism, complicity and the structural violence that permeates Southern history. An opening reception will be held Jan. 13 from 6–8 p.m., and the exhibition will remain on view through Mar. 23. Gallery director and curator Katie Geha will lead a conversational tour on Jan. 28 at 4 p.m., and “Troubling Performance,” a full-day symposium exploring representations of race in performance, will be held Feb. 25 from 9 a.m.–7 p.m. Visit athenaeum.uga.edu to find out about other lectures, readings and events.
ATHICA: The Athens Institute for Contemporary Art reopens for the season with “Trio: Lauren Bradshaw, Daniel Brickman and Jeanne Ciravolo,” the latest installment of its “Solo Duo Trio” series that pairs compatible works by individual artists. Visually connected through a shared and unusual use of fiber as a primary material, each artist has their own unique approach for creating biomorphic objects. An opening reception will be held Jan. 14 from 6–8 p.m., and the gallery’s Experimental Music Night series will present multi-instrumentalist Gull in conjunction with Third Thursday on Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. “Trio” will remain on view through Feb. 12. Keep your eyes peeled at athica.org for announcements about the “2023 Members’ Showcase” (Feb. 18–Mar. 19) and the Really Big Art Rally, a joint art-making fundraiser between ATHICA and Ciné, on Mar. 25.
ATHICA@CINÉ GALLERY: At its satellite space located downtown at Ciné, ATHICA presents “Domus Domus,” an exhibition of new works by Atlanta-based artist Alice Stone-Collins. Her intricate hand-painted collaged pieces reinvigorate everyday spaces and the mundane by attempting to capture the “contrasting energies of boredom and beauty, stasis and comfort.” The largest work depicts a life-size refrigerator, complete with magnets and drawings, that is centered between two collaged windows cluttered with plants, books and knick-knacks. Hanging above clusters of paintings, a series of unusual triangular works depict attic spaces. The exhibition, which opened on New Year’s Day, will remain up through Feb. 25. Visit athenscine.com for hours.
DODD GALLERIES: Classes are back in session at the Lamar Dodd School of Art, where two different exhibitions opened this past Monday. On view though Feb. 3, “Liu Shiming: Descending the Mountain Together” is a mini-retrospective of the late Chinese artist’s work, consisting of 23 sculptures in wood, bronze and ceramic. “La Mostra” (“The Show”) is an annual reunion exhibition featuring work by faculty and students of the 2022 studies abroad program in Cortona, Italy. A closing reception for “La Mostra” will be held in auditorium S151 on Jan. 21 at 3 p.m. Go to art.uga.edu for details.
GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART: In addition to the museum’s current programming, three new exhibitions are scheduled to open later this winter. “Object Lessons in American Art: Selections from the Princeton University Art Museum” (Feb. 4–May 14) collectively explores American history, culture and society through artworks that span four centuries. “Lore” (Feb. 11–Oct. 1) is a recent short film by Sky Hopinka, a video artist, photographer and member of the Ho-Chunk Nation. “Art is a form of freedom” (Mar. 4–July 2) is the result of a collaborative project between the museum and Whitworth Women’s Facility, a prison in north Georgia. Check out georgiamuseum.org for correlating events.
LHAC: Over at the Lyndon House Arts Center, “RE-,” the biennial Clarke County School District student art show, will close this week on Jan. 14 to make room for the upcoming “48th Juried Exhibition” that will run Mar. 2–May 6. Artists living in Athens and surrounding counties have until Jan. 20 to submit up to three works of any medium for consideration in this year’s show. “Nancy Songster’s Tiny Houses,” a collection of stunning miniature interiors, also closes on Jan. 14. Collections from the Community will then present Cathy Padgett’s Jackie O book collection Jan. 20–Mar. 18, with a collector’s talk on Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. Current exhibition “The Same, Yet Separate” will be highlighted during a Third Thursday artist talk with J Taran Diamond on Jan. 19 at 6 p.m. “Bess Carter: Arts Center Choice Award Exhibition” and “A Pattern of Movements: Works by Kate Burke, Rebecca Kreisler & Sylvia Schaefer” both run until Mar. 4, with artist talks held on Feb. 16 at 6 p.m. and Mar. 4 at 2 p.m., respectively. For more details, check out accgov.com/lyndonhouse.
OCAF: The Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation will unveil four new exhibitions for the season. On view in the main gallery, “Georgia Mountains to the Shore” reflects on the state’s diverse landscapes through textile works by Evelyn, Beck, Lynn Harrill, Sara Quattlebaum, Cynthia Steward, Denny Webster and Kathryn Weston. Featuring approximately 40 paintings by 11 artists, “A Brush with Murder: Novel Art by the Wonders of Watercolor Group” celebrates member Gail Langer Karwoski’s new murder mystery book that was inspired by the group of artists who meet weekly at OCAF to paint together. “New Horizons: Mixed Media Work by ESP Students” shares art created in response to “Georgia Mountains to the Shore” during a workshop at Extra Special People. “Fabric Storm by Bobbi Johnson” is a mixed-media installation incorporating umbrellas, fabric, netting, ribbon and other materials to simulate a storm. During an opening reception on Jan. 13 from 5–7 p.m., Karwoski will present a talk and book signing at 5:30 p.m. and artists of “Georgia Mountains to the Shore” will offer a gallery talk at 6:30 p.m. All four exhibitions will remain on view through Feb. 10. Visit ocaf.com.
TINY ATH GALLERY: A solid opportunity for anyone who made a recent resolution to sell or buy more artwork, tiny ATH gallery kicks off the new year with “Clean Your Closet” on Thursday, Jan. 19 from 6–9 p.m. The pop-up, salon-style show will display plenty of pieces made by local artists hoping to clear out their workspaces, and any purchased artwork can be taken home the same night. In February, the gallery will present a solo exhibition by Gary Autry. Stay tuned to tinyathgallery.com for details.
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