In January 2020, the Attleboro Arts Museum posted a national call-for-artists requesting original responses to the theme On the Surface.
When issuing an exhibition prompt to artists throughout the United States I’ve come to learn that only the juicy will do. Themes for national shows must have traction. They should inspire the beautifully straightforward, the courageously personal, the ingenious.
On the Surface offers lovely, shocking, and intimate expressions that contend with the literal and figurative prickly points of life. These works prove that viewing art, whether in-gallery or online, is a gift. Decades of research suggest that art can improve moods, reduce pain, and even create a feeling that is similar to falling in love. These days, I think we’d all welcome those positive sensations.
Joan Sowada - Women of Color Rise