Ucross Presents AMERICAN MEMORY: INSIDE OUT At The Ucross Art Gallery Through August 27  

Ucross has announced the opening of a new exhibition in the Ucross Art Gallery, American Memory: Inside Out, which features work by Monica J. Brown, Brittney Denham-Whisonant, and Bill Will. All three artists are alumni of Ucross's prestigious artist residency program. The exhibition will be on view from May 14 through August 27.

Curated by Tracey Kikut, Ucross's Program Director, the 31 works in the exhibition explore the idea of collective memory and its intersection with the complexities of our humanity. Timothy Brown, an art writer who contributed an essay for the exhibition's brochure, notes that "these artists seek to remember what is salutary in the personal and public spheres." Together, the works presented offer a cross-section of Americana through a variety of expression, including Will's sculptural work, Denham-Whisonant's quilted textiles, and Brown's photo-collage and mixed media. An audio work created by Brown, who is a poet as well as a visual artist, is also included in the exhibition.

A public reception with two of the artists (Brown and Denham-Whisonant) is scheduled for Friday, July 30 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Ucross Art Gallery. The event is free and open to the public.

Monica J. Brown explores memory, history, and personal mythology through visual art, sound, movement, writing, and performance. She has exhibited nationally and internationally; created murals with Chicago's Hubbard Street Mural Project and Detroit's Live6 Neighborhood Arts Project; and performed at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the Prop Theatre, and the Columbus Performing Arts Center. In addition to Ucross, she has attended residencies at the Atlantic Center for the Arts, Ragdale, and the Dorland Mountain Arts Colony. Brown earned a BFA from Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles and an MA from Columbia College Chicago. She lives in Chicago, Illinois.

Brittney Denham-Whisonant is a multidisciplinary artist, born in California and raised in Wyoming. She earned an MFA at The Ohio State University, and she is currently Gallery Director and Assistant Professor of Photography and Printmaking at Sheridan College. Her work has been exhibited nationally. Recent exhibitions include The Arrival: Works by Brittney Denham at COS Gallery in Visalia, California; Everything is Different Now at Stay Home Gallery in Paris, Tennessee; and Woman's Work at the Yellowstone Art Museum in Billings, Montana. She lives in Sheridan, Wyoming.

Bill Will is a conceptual sculptor and installation artist whose work is known for its focus on contemporary social and political issues. In 2005, The Art Gym at Marylhurst University featured a 25-year mid-career retrospect of his work, and in 2006, he was awarded the 15th Bonnie Bronson Fellowship, which is an award made to outstanding artists living and working in the Pacific Northwest. In 2017, the Hoffman Gallery of Contemporary Art at Lewis & Clark College presented Fun House, a site-specific exhibition of installations and sculpture created by Will between 2005 and 2017. In addition, Will has completed more than 30 public art commissions. He is a Professor Emeritus at Oregon College of Art and Craft. He lives in Portland, Oregon.

American Memory: Inside Out is free and open to the public. The exhibition is supported in part by the Wyoming Arts Council, through funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Wyoming State Legislature.

The Ucross Art Gallery is located a half-mile east of the intersection of Highways 14 and 16 East in Ucross. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. We encourage visitors to call the Ucross office at (307) 737-2291 in advance of arrival if possible.

The Ucross Art Gallery is a significant cultural resource for surrounding communities and beyond. For further information, visit ucross.org.

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