The Momentary Announces New Visual Arts Projects and Updates for 2020 Exhibitions

Bentonville, Ark. – The Momentary announces new visual arts projects by Iván Navarro and Christopher Myers, as well as an updated schedule for the upcoming exhibition Nick Cave: Until, all free for the public to experience. The Momentary, a satellite contemporary art space to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, reopened to the public on June 10 after its temporary closure to help contain the spread of the coronavirus.

“The Momentary embraces stories of today with exhibitions and visual arts projects that examine the history of migration through water towers, explore place and identity with our ongoing Flag Project series, and question race relations and gun violence in America with the immersive exhibition Until,” said Lauren Haynes, director of art initiatives and curator, contemporary art at Crystal Bridges and the Momentary. “Until and this slate of projects are examples of the power of contemporary art to tell stories that spark important conversations for our community.”

Updated 2020 Exhibition Schedule

State of the Art 2020, the Momentary’s inaugural exhibition which spotlights 61 individuals representing a cross-section of artists working today, will remain on view in its entirety through Sunday, July 12 at both the Momentary and Crystal Bridges. Artworks will remain on view in the Lobby Gallery at the Momentary through August 16, with some artworks remaining at Crystal Bridges through November 2. A virtual tour of the exhibition at the Momentary can be found here and at Crystal Bridges here.

Nick Cave: Until, the artist’s largest and most ambitious project yet, will be on view at the Momentary September 12 through January 3, 2021, and will span the full 24,000 square feet of gallery space.

The exhibition, just like these previous works, question gender, race, and violence—in particular, gun violence—in America. For Until, 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 invites visitors to take a moment of contemplation about where we are today and what the future may look like.

The Momentary is the final stop for Nick Cave: Until. The exhibition was previously on view at MASS MoCA of North Adams, Massachusetts, Carriageworks of Sydney, Australia, and Tramway of Glasgow, United Kingdom.

New Visual Arts Projects

In addition to exhibitions, the Momentary brings artworks from around the world to the space to share more work by contemporary artists and display a broad story of today’s visual art. Below are projects currently on view at the Momentary:

Iván Navarro, This Land is Your Land

Inspired by Woody Guthrie’s iconic 1940 song of the same name, Brooklyn-based Chilean artist Iván Navarro’s series of three water towers examines the history of migration in the Americas and the United States. During the Great Depression, the water tower became a symbol of hope and opportunity for nomadic workers. According to Navarro, “every time they saw a water tower, they jumped out of the train because it signaled economic activity in that town.”

The towers are elevated to a height above visitors’ heads, allowing them to walk underneath and look up into each sculpture to view repeated messages that are inspired by Navarro’s personal history as an immigrant. The interior of one tower features the words “me” and “we”, another the word “bed”, and the third displaying the image of a ladder—all of which are composed of neon light. “Bed” recalls our most intimate form of inhabited space. The ascending ladder symbolizes progress, while the inverted words “me” and “we” reference Guthrie’s call for collective belonging.

Before making its way to the Momentary, This Land is Your Land was previously on view in Madison Square Garden in New York City, and most recently at the Navy Pier in Chicago.

This Land is Your Land is now on view, located outdoors in the North Courtyard.

The Momentary Flag Project (ongoing)

The Momentary launched a rotating series of artist-designed flags called the Momentary Flag Project, with the flags being raised on the original flagpole of the cheese factory in which the Momentary occupies. The series asks artists to explore the symbolic resonance of flags and consider how they shape our understanding of place and identity.

The first flag, raised on June 24, is designed by Christopher Myers, a multimedia artist, author, and playwright from New York City. His flag, Icarus Falling, takes inspiration from the Greek myth of Icarus and his father Daedalus. “These flags are a monument to our nation of Icaruses, of people who dream bigger than they are ‘supposed’ to, and who must find a way to celebrate not only our triumphs but all of the times we have soared so close to the sun, that we have burned our wings,” said Myers.

Myers’s flag will be on view through October 4. The second flag in the series will be designed by California-based artist Gabriella Sanchez.

A full list of Visual Arts Projects at the Momentary can be viewed online here.

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State of the Art 2020 is supported in part by Bank of America (Lead Sponsor), Willard & Pat Walker Charitable Foundation, Christie’s, The Coca-Cola Company, Stella Boyle Smith Trust, Trott Family Foundation, Alturas Foundation, Bracken Darrell, Fred and Shelby Gans. National tour sponsored by Bank of America.

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. The exhibition is sponsored at the Momentary by Airway’s Freight Corp., Esther Silver-Parker, Visit Bentonville, J&D Pallets, and Greenwood Gearhart.

This Land is Your Land is sponsored by Visit Bentonville.

About the Momentary

The Momentary is a new contemporary art space in downtown Bentonville, Arkansas, for visual, performing, and culinary arts. The mission of the Momentary is to champion contemporary art’s role in everyday life and explore the unfolding story of contemporary American arts in an international context by actively commissioning and exhibiting outstanding works that explore new ideas and inspire action. The Momentary was founded by the Walton family, based on the vision of Tom, Olivia, and Steuart Walton. The Walton Family Foundation is supporting this project as a way to enhance the quality of life in Northwest Arkansas. The Momentary is a satellite to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, founded by Alice Walton. The Momentary welcomes all with free general admission. Additional offerings include an artist-in-residence program, culinary experiences including an Onyx Coffee Lab, indoor and outdoor gathering spaces, an outdoor festival space, and a gift store. For more information, visit here.

The Momentary is located at 507 SE E Street, Bentonville, Arkansas 72712. The Momentary’s Founding Funders are Walton Family Foundation, Walmart, RØDE Microphones, The Coca-Cola Company, Tyson Family Foundation, and Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation.