Houston exhibition pairs Beverly Buchanan and Dionne Lee to explore hidden histories in American landscape
Opening on September 4 and continuing until February 14, 2027, the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH) will showcase 'Divination: Beverly Buchanan & Dionne Lee.' Curated by Dionne Lee and Rebecca Matalon, this exhibition juxtaposes the artistry of the late Beverly Buchanan (1940–2015) with that of Lee, emphasizing themes of memory, myth, and the impacts of enslavement. A focal point is Buchanan's 1981 piece 'Marsh Ruins,' located in Brunswick, Georgia, near Igbo Landing. While the exhibition omits Buchanan's 'shack' sculptures, it features her photography and archival works. Lee's contributions delve into Black identity and resilience. The exhibition will also be presented at the Wexner Center for the Arts and the Institute for Contemporary Art. Furthermore, Buchanan's retrospective 'Weathering' will open on September 26 at Spike Island, lasting until January 31, 2027.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Divination: Beverly Buchanan & Dionne Lee' opens at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston on September 4 and runs through February 14, 2027.
- Curated by Rebecca Matalon, senior curator at CAMH, in collaboration with Dionne Lee.
- Show pairs artists from different generations, following 'Wild Life: Elizabeth Murray & Jessi Reaves' (2021).
- Focuses on Buchanan's photography and archives, excluding her shack sculptures.
- Highlights Buchanan's 1981 work 'Marsh Ruins' in Brunswick, Georgia, made of concrete and tabby.
- Site is near Igbo Landing, where captive West Africans chose suicide over enslavement in 1803.
- Dionne Lee's works include photography, video, and new wood-burned sculptures inspired by dowsing rods.
- Exhibition will travel to Wexner Center for the Arts and Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University.
- Buchanan's first European survey 'Weathering' opens at Spike Island, Bristol, on September 26, running through January 31, 2027.
Entities
Artists
- Beverly Buchanan
- Dionne Lee
- Sidney Lanier
- Elizabeth Murray
- Jessi Reaves
Institutions
- Contemporary Arts Museum Houston
- Wexner Center for the Arts
- Ohio State University
- Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University
- Spike Island
- Petra Bibeau
Locations
- Houston
- Texas
- United States
- Brunswick
- Georgia
- Igbo Landing
- Bristol
- United Kingdom
- Ohio
- Virginia