SETTING THE TABLE
Dana Sherwood and Beth Galton
January 13 - April 30, 2023
OPENING EVENT: February 3, 2023 | 5 - 9 PM
ON ART: March 22, 2023 | 6:00 PM
Beth Galton, Merlot Chinese Cabbage (left), Merlot Chinese Cabbage Soup (right), 2022, archival pigment print
For millennia, the table has been a site for gathering. Whether marking a significant event or simply joining together, the act of thoughtfully preparing and presenting food or an arranged table transcends culture, age, race, and economics. Today, the average time an American adult spends preparing and serving food is 67 minutes per day — the equivalent of over 400 hours annually. Through the work of artists Dana Sherwood and Beth Galton, Setting the Table contemplates what, for whom, and why we are extending this effort.
Beth Galton is represented by 15 images, marking four, unique series of lush color photography. Her approach is suggestive of documentary-style work, but upon closer inspection, she asks viewers to really consider “what do we put on the table?” She transforms stilllifes into rich collages of colors, shapes, and forms of food that are carefully prepared and positioned into interesting visual relationships. Galton’s investigation of rotting fruits and vegetables exposes portraits that probe questions of culturally accepted consumption choices.
Dana Sherwood’s films and paintings examine “who” the table is set for. Her work draws attention to how the efforts of providing a caring display of beautifully arranged items drive the boundaries of our relationships, intentional or not. Sherwood captures her oblivious key players (the almost-domesticated animals living near, or just in, the borders of the human world) in the act of selection and consumption. Through moving images and carefully constructed paintings, she illustrates the lack of control on: how animals/humans “come to the table”, what they select, the impact of the exchange on relationships, and why this effort is extended.
Constance S. & Robert J. Hennessy Project Space
VIRTUAL GALLERY TOUR
Photo Credit: Danielle Vennard Photographer LLC
