The Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft is proud to present Into the Mix, a conversation about how materiality addresses the complexities of cultural stereotypes in an exhibition featuring 10 Caribbean artists.

Their artwork takes on new meanings in a context where cultural history is influenced by outside migrating populations, colonial governments, tourists and the popular culture machine. In many societies, craft and hand-worked items help establish a culture of self-worth in the minds of the local population.

The creation of these objects is influenced by the economic opportunity presented through tourism, yet souvenirs represent the visitor’s interests and are taken out of context.

Into the Mix opens on February 4th through April 14th 2012. The opening reception will be held on February 3rd from 5-10 pm at the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft.

Heino Schmid (Photo: Cube West Gallery)

Participating artists include Janine Antoni, Christopher Cozier, Blue Curry, Carlos Gamez de Francisco, Marlon Griffith, Sofia Maldonado, Wendy Nanan, Ebony G. Patterson, Sheena Rose, and Heino Schmid. Text by Nicholas Laughlin.

Throughout the program there will be Interactive Design object by Marlon Darbeau and Christopher Cozier

Discussion moderated by Nicholas Laughlin at the University of Lousiville, Chao Theater, 4pm Saturday. February 4th with Blue Curry, Marlon Griffith and Sofia Maldanado.

Discussion with Christopher Cozier, Ebony G. Patterson, and Courtney Martin to be announced.

What matters today is to translate the cultural values of cultural groups and to connect them to the world network. This “reloading process” of modernism according to the twenty-first-century issues could be called altermodernism, a movement connected to the creolization of cultures and the fight for autonomy, but also the possibility of producing singularities in a more and more standardized world. -Nicolas Bourriaud, curator/critic

What is cultural authenticity and who decides what is truly a significant representation of a culture? It is up to contemporary artists and artisans to communicate their intentions and shape the framework in which their work is perceived. The Museum explores ideas from a variety of perspectives that describe the historical, conceptual, and aesthetic nature of the art works as singular vignettes not as sweeping generalizations.

Furthering the conversation of what is culturally authentic, this exhibition reveals how disparate artists from the Caribbean connect with each other in a virtual world that has no boundaries. Through E-Catalogues by Draconian Switch and Richard Rawlins the show will develop written texts with the artists, blog comments and include pictures from reviews, interventions, happenings, and discussions that happen in Louisville and other regions of the world during the 10 weeks.

Please check the Museum events page for times and further details.

This exhibition is generously sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, Brown-Forman, D.D. Williamson, Fund for the Arts, and the Kentucky Arts Council.