ROBERT RECK
TRINIT Y
Changing Course
I
Trinity: An Exhibition Premiers Online
T IS FITTING THAT an exhibition
breaking not just in its treatment of this
about a world-changing event
subject matter, but also as the first on-
Albuquerque Museum has been rethink-
should open amid an unprecedent-
line-only exhibition in the Museum’s history.
ing how to present this exhibition, origi-
ed global pandemic.
It displays more than 50 artists’ responses
nally curated for a physical gallery space.
Since its closure in mid-March, the
For the past several years, curators Joe
to nuclear issues and the detonation at
This required research and a team effort
Traugott and Josie Lopez and the exhibi-
Trinity on July 16, 1945, and marks the
building on the strengths of the Museum
tions team at the Albuquerque Museum
75th anniversary. More than 50 artists are
and City of Albuquerque staff. The team
have been preparing for Trinity: Reflections
represented, including Tom Joyce, Will
included Curators Lopez and Traugott, As-
on the Bomb. These artworks illuminate
Wilson, Nicola López, Emil Bisttram, Karsten
sistant to the Curator Lacey Chrisco, who
artists’ responses to the detonation of the
Creightney, Elaine DeKooning, Leigh Anne
managed the Herculean task of finding im-
first nuclear weapon at the Trinity site near
Langwell Jack Garver, Raymond Jonson,
ages of 300 objects and gathering usage
Alamogordo.
Bea Mandelman, Enrique Montenegro,
permissions; the marketing and coordina-
Enter COVID-19, and the Albuquerque
Patrick Nagatani, Bruce Nauman, Anne
tion skills of Foundation Communications
Museum had to change course. Now,
Noggle, Horace Towner Pierce, Tony Price,
Director Denise Crouse to organize the
Trinity: Reflections on the Bomb is ground-
Meridel Rubenstein, and Hideo Sakata.
flow of the website, the graphic design
2
SUMMER 2020
Art. History. People.
