Colorful, creative ‘What Nerve!’ exhibition at RISD

Don Fowler
Posted 10/1/14

The Rhode Island School of Design has established a reputation for colorful, creative and sometimes controversial exhibits over the years.

“What Nerve! Alternative Figures in American Art, 1960 …

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Colorful, creative ‘What Nerve!’ exhibition at RISD

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The Rhode Island School of Design has established a reputation for colorful, creative and sometimes controversial exhibits over the years.

“What Nerve! Alternative Figures in American Art, 1960 to the Present” continues the tradition by exploring an alternative history of contemporary American art in this stunning exhibit.

“What Nerve!” traces the history of figurative painting, sculpture and vernacular imagery that has been overlooked and undervalued relative to modernist abstraction and conceptual art,” according to Museum Director John W. Smith.

The exhibit recreates four historical groups: Hairy Who in Chicago, Funk in San Francisco, Destroy All Monsters in Ann Arbor and Forcefield in Providence.

“The groups and individual artists represented were not naïve or unaware of the art world around them, they simply trafficked in an alternate history, which is explored in this exhibition and accompanying book,” said curator Dan Nadel.

Featuring more than 180 paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photographs and videos, as well as other materials featured in reconstructed installations, the exhibit is open to the public through January 4, 2015.

Six influential artists who ran against the modernist grain are featured in four mini-exhibitions: H.C. Westerman, Jack Kirby, William Copley, Christina Ramberg, Gary Panter and Elizabeth Murray.

While you are there, take time to visit the many other exhibits in this fabulous art museum, with a collection of over 91,000 objects from ancient works to the art of today.

The museum, at 224 Benefit St. in Providence, is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors 62 and older and $3 for children ages 5-18. Admission is free every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on the third Thursday evening of each month from 5-9 p.m. The museum is fully accessible both from 224 Benefit St. and 20 North Main St.

For more information, go online at www.risdmuseum.org or call 454-6500.

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