human rites
Human Rites examines ritual through art; and it also examines art through ritual, depending on your point of view. From mundane human activities to sacred practices, from the past through the present, rites and rituals have been pervasive subjects in artistic practice. Human Rites presents works such as 15th century devotional polychrome statues of Mary and 16th century altarpieces alongside works by renowned contemporary artists. This juxtaposition of works circumscribes the timelessness of rituals, expressed historically and anthropologically in religious, as well as other contexts. Artists include: Marina Abramovic, El Anatsui, John Beech, Christian Boltanski, Mark Dion, Thomas Hirschhorn, Allan McCollum, Priscilla Monge, Rirkrit Tiravanija, César Trasobares, Ai Weiwei, Erwim Wurm and others. Curated by Silvia Karman Cubiñá, Bass Museum of Art Executive Director and Chief Curator, and Steve Holmes, Adjunct Curator, Bass Museum of Art. This exhibition is the second of three exhibitions in The Endless Renaissance series at the Bass Museum, that began with the exhibition The Endless Renaissance in 2009 and will conclude with a publication in 2012.
