EXHIBITION

— FALL 2021 WHO SAYS, WHO SHOWS, WHAT COUNTS: Thinking About History with The Block’s

Collection

Main & Alsdorf Galleries

September 22 - December 05, 2021

In 2020-2021 Northwestern University’s Block Museum of Art celebrated its 40th anniversary. Leading up to this milestone, The Block introduced a major initiative to acquire works of art that encourage critical thinking about the representation of history. This initiative and The Block’s anniversary celebration culminated with Who Says, Who Shows, What Counts: Thinkingabout History with The Block’s Collection, an exhibition inviting visitors to think critically about how artists, artworks, and museums engage with narratives of the past.

Highlighting more than eighty modern and contemporary artworks recently acquired by The Block Museum of Art, the exhibition considered our constantly changing understanding of the past through the lens of artistic practice. It featured works by a wide-ranging selection of artists exploring the idea of history, such as Dawoud Bey, Shan Goshorn, the Guerrilla Girls, Louise Lawler, Kerry James Marshall, Catherine Opie, Walid Raad, Man Ray, Edward Steichen, and Kara Walker. Including voices from students, alumni, faculty, and staff, Who Says, Who Shows, What Counts invites visitors to reflect on the ways in which art can facilitate multidisciplinary connections, ask challenging questions, and tell stories about issues relevant to our lives.