(Un)Settled: The Landscape in American Art

From natural wonders to the open road, the landscape has long been a muse in American art. Through objects from the colonial era to the present, (Un)Settled explores the rich, complicated, and evolving topic of the landscape in American art. The variety of media and makers helps redefine whose view is considered, ultimately revealing the many ways artists turn to their surroundings to reflect on larger topics such as national identity, land preservation, the complexity of cultural landscapes, and how location shapes our sense of self.

Building upon noted Hudson River School paintings, (Un)Settled features works by artists including Fidelia Bridges, Marsden Hartley, Georgia O’Keeffe, Benny Andrews, William Christenberry, Ana Mendieta, Ed Ruscha, Jeffrey Gibson, and Jacqueline Bishop. Through more than 40 artworks—including examples of material culture such as furniture, glass, ceramics, and baskets—the exhibition highlights ongoing conversations around the landscape and its relationship to establishing cultural and national identity over the last two centuries.

Supported by the Art Bridges Cohort Program, (Un)Settled is a collaborative exhibition presented by the American South Consortium. Led by the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art (Hartford, CT), the cohort includes three partners: the Columbia Museum of Art (Columbia, SC), the Mobile Museum of Art (Mobile, AL), and the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts (AL). This innovative cross-regional partnership explores new ways of interpreting art and the American experience through dynamic exhibitions and an array of complimentary public programs.