[RE]POSE: Leisure Bodies and Empowered Postures reflects on the reinterpretation and transformation of the well-known art historical theme of the reclining figure, across the 20th and 21st centuries. Typically depicted as an idealized female nude, these images historically have been controlled solely by an elite, white, male gaze. Standing on the shoulders of 20th-century women artists who began reclaiming this posture, contemporary artists now use the convention to engage with concerns of the body, space, and agency, and speak to narratives of identity, including gender, race, and status.
[RE]POSE encourages viewers to think about rest in their own lives, whether physical, mental, or emotional; to acknowledge the power and privilege of leisure; and to question the agency of their own bodies and space.
Featured in this group exhibition are works from the Ulrich permanent collection, as well as special works on loan, including works by David Antonio Cruz, Lalla Essaydi, Barbara Earl Thomas, Dinorá Justice, Zanele Muholi, Ayana V. Jackson, Robert Peterson, and more, alongside works by Moses Soyer, Peggy Bacon, Robert Henri, Xavier Gonzalez, Thomas Hart Benton, and Harry Sternberg, to name a few.
Organized by the Ulrich Museum of Art. Curated by Jo Reinert, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art.
Our 2024 Fall exhibitions and associated programs are made possible by the generosity of Ulrich50 donors, for which the Ulrich is very grateful. The Ulrich extends sincere thanks to members of Ulrich Friends with Benefits, whose ongoing support makes programming possible. The City of Wichita and Wichita State University provide funding support for the Ulrich’s general operations.
