Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art announces the 2020 temporary exhibition schedule that will be featured at the Momentary during its inaugural season. The Momentary is a satellite to Crystal Bridges and a new contemporary art space that is set to open to the public on February 22, 2020 with State of the Art II, to be followed by Nick Cave: Until in the summer.

“We are excited to begin this new decade exploring art at the soon-to-be opened Momentary,” said Rod Bigelow, Crystal Bridges executive director & chief diversity and inclusion officer. “Whether the artists are familiar to our visitors or completely unknown, these exhibitions look at history, our natural landscape, art movements, and current culture through a broad set of objects and perspectives. The 2020 lineup highlights award-winning artists like Nick Cave, and up-and-coming artists whose work will be featured in State of the Art II.”

More information about the full 2020 exhibition lineup at both Crystal Bridges and the Momentary can be found here.

State of the Art II

February 22 – May 24, 2020 at Crystal Bridges and the Momentary

Crystal Bridges begins the new decade with the opening of the Momentary, a new space for contemporary visual and performing arts, and the debut of State of the Art II at both locations. This new exhibition continues the journey launched in State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now (2014), for which Crystal Bridges curators traveled across America to discover artists working around the country. The resulting exhibition featured 102 artists, debuted at Crystal Bridges, traveled to five additional museums, and became the subject of a PBS documentary.

State of the Art II features a new curatorial team, bringing fresh perspectives. Lauren Haynes, curator, contemporary art at Crystal Bridges and curator of visual arts at the Momentary, is developing the exhibition along with Alejo Benedetti, assistant curator, contemporary art, and Allison Glenn, associate curator, contemporary art, both from Crystal Bridges.

Haynes, Benedetti, and Glenn visited contemporary artists around the country, determining a brand new selection of artists and artworks to feature at the two venues. Discover a collection of talented artists working today, exploring themes of nature, globalism, technology, and more.

Sponsored by Bank of America (Lead Sponsor), Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation, Christie’s, and the Crystal Bridges Art Now Fund. National tour sponsored by Bank of America.

Nick Cave: Until

July 18, 2020 – January 3, 2021 at the Momentary

For Until, Nick Cave creates his largest and most ambitious project yet, taking us deep into the belly of one of his iconic Soundsuits. The exhibition, just like these previous works, question gender, race, and violence—in particular, gun violence—in America.

To do this, Cave began with the question, “Is there racism in heaven?” His response is an immersive space made up of thousands of wind spinners with images of guns, bullets, and targets along with a cloudscape encrusted in ceramic birds, beaded flowers, and cast-iron lawn jockeys. Until is an exhibition as well as a platform for engagement; during its time at the Momentary, the installation will come to life with a lineup of performances about community, identity, and more.

Above all else, Nick Cave: Until invites us to take a moment of contemplation about where we are today and what the future may look like.

Nick Cave: Until was organized by MASS MoCA and co-produced by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art of Bentonville, Arkansas, and CarriageWorks of Sydney, Australia, with support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, Jack Shainman Gallery, and the Robert Lehman Foundation.