Designed to explore new resonances among works by these internationally renowned artists, the exhibition features pieces that have rarely been on public view, such as Antony Gormley’s Being (1995) and Terry Adkins’ San Antonio-made Bouquet (2000), as well as a few of the collection’s signature objects, including Jim Hodges’ unfold (more) [2003]. When considered together, the selection “evokes the cool heat of intense engagement, riffing in unexpected ways on the immersive experiences of art-making and artviewing,” Carlozzi explains.
Carlozzi continues, “The Foundation’s founder, Linda Pace, constantly questioned the creative process and the display and reception of works of art. Seeking knowledge and inspiration, she in turn offered discovery opportunities to her community. I conceived Immersed as a tribute to this generosity and to Linda’s pioneering spirit. Having served as a curatorial panelist, writer, and board advisor for ArtPace in its early years, I was delighted to accept the Foundation’s invitation to organize an exhibition from its impressive collection.”
The exhibition’s powerful ensemble showcases a range of gestures, musings, and observations about the body in space and time. Whether in the heady swim of sensory overload represented in Miwa Yanagi’s and Surasi Kusolwong’s vivid photographs, or in the forceful and direct attempts to locate oneself in the world which can be understood in drawings by Gabriel Orozco and Tracey Emin, these works all engage with life’s vitality.
Throughout the gallery, the experience of immersion is referenced in multiple ways. Catherine Opie’s Untitled 10 (Surfers) [2003] is the most literal representation; its tidal swells allude to constancy, a theme also evoked poignantly in Chiho Aoshima’s Untitled (2007), an intimate memorial for Linda. Byron Kim’s Permanent Paintings (2004) suggest timelessness, or continuous coming-into-being. And the natural world is a starting point for diverse works by Anne Chu, Teresita Fernández, and Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle, which offer relational perspectives that challenge location’s meaning, echoing the unrestrained condition that being immersed connotes.