MA Curatorial Practice presents "Do You Feel?," an examination of the interdependence between physical presence and the experience of color curated by Maya Castro Gutierrez, with works by emerging artists Daniel Lopera, Thomas Murphy and Marvin Touré. Lopera creates a dark environment with multiple transparent photographs. Murphy’s large-scale canvases and pastel colors are reminiscent of the "teenage dream" that has now replaced the "American dream." Touré’s use of white on white transmits his understanding of an aspect of Black culture. Each piece captivates its space by creating a narrative through color, and interacts in specific ways with other works. In unison, these artworks create an experience that can only be felt physically.

Within the last three decades, the emergence and influence of the Internet and popular technology have given us the option to converse with each other through smart phones and other user-friendly devices. This use of popular technology as a bridge between two distant individuals has eliminated the need for physical presence: You can be anywhere in the world, and your body does not have to follow you. This lack of physical presence has become more commonplace in daily life, and this disruption of physical interaction has added a new element not previously experienced in art: the lack of the need to be present when viewing art.

The works in "Do You Feel?" make the viewers become aware of their presence in viewing art in the public setting. This added emphasis on the viewer within the space creates a return to physical presence in relation to the artist, the work and the viewer. How do we, as viewers, feel when we are surrounded by art of different colors, scales and meanings? How does this affect the way we respond to these artworks in different contexts? The viewer’s presence becomes a subconsciously acquired element of the exhibition and is now considered an integral factor in its viewing. Lopera, Murphy and Touré speak to the notion of feeling through color. Together, each artist’s work conveys an intensity and meaning that strongly resonate with each other and the viewer.

Exhibition

Do You Feel?

10th and 11th floors

Reception