About Face Exhibition

Faces serve as the primary way we identify one another. They communicate
individuality, heredity, emotions, and attitudes. We spend countless hours looking into mirrors, and billions of dollars on cosmetics and treatments to ensure that we “put our best face forward.” We take selfies and collect images of friends and loved ones. We
are unnerved by others’ attempts to disguise, obscure, or change their faces thereby altering their identities.

During the global pandemic our faces have become contested territories. Wearing masks to protect ourselves and each other from contagion has been met by some with resistance and suspicion. Meeting each other masked or via screens denies a deeply human need to recognize and connect, leaving many feeling increasingly isolated.

This exhibition celebrates artistic interpretations of faces over many centuries from around the world alongside current scientific understanding about the face’s unique
relevance for human interaction. How do we recognize each other and how does that affect the way we forge relationships? How do we wordlessly communicate our innermost feelings, even when we may want to hide them? How do artists challenge us to rethink the way we see each other and ourselves?

About Face was drawn primarily from the CWAM's permanent collection in coordination with Prof. Grit Herzmann in Neuroscience, who studies face processing. 

*Please note – per current campus policy, masks are required to be worn and social distancing recommendations should be adhered to while inside the building.

October 26th, 2021

11:00 am - 4:00 pm

Duration: 5 hours

Location:
Ebert Art Center - College of Wooster Art Museum


2021-10-26 11:00:00 2021-10-26 16:00:00 America/New_York About Face Exhibition

Faces serve as the primary way we identify one another. They communicate
individuality, heredity, emotions, and attitudes. We spend countless hours looking into mirrors, and billions of dollars on cosmetics and treatments to ensure that we “put our best face forward.” We take selfies and collect images of friends and loved ones. We
are unnerved by others’ attempts to disguise, obscure, or change their faces thereby altering their identities.

During the global pandemic our faces have become contested territories. Wearing masks to protect ourselves and each other from contagion has been met by some with resistance and suspicion. Meeting each other masked or via screens denies a deeply human need to recognize and connect, leaving many feeling increasingly isolated.

This exhibition celebrates artistic interpretations of faces over many centuries from around the world alongside current scientific understanding about the face’s unique
relevance for human interaction. How do we recognize each other and how does that affect the way we forge relationships? How do we wordlessly communicate our innermost feelings, even when we may want to hide them? How do artists challenge us to rethink the way we see each other and ourselves?

About Face was drawn primarily from the CWAM's permanent collection in coordination with Prof. Grit Herzmann in Neuroscience, who studies face processing. 

*Please note – per current campus policy, masks are required to be worn and social distancing recommendations should be adhered to while inside the building.

Ebert Art Center - College of Wooster Art Museum