The Weisman's latest exhibit investigates the multiple meanings of the word "common," gathering together 20th century works that explore shared beliefs, routines, and the everyday. From a period that saw the commonplace entering the realm of high art, "Common Sense: Art and the Quotidian" encourages viewers to reexamine what exactly constitutes art. Here, Andy Warhol's New England Clam Chowder elevates a soup can from the cabinets to the gallery walls, Lewis Hine's photographs document the common people, and Joseph Beuys's Noiseless Blackboard Eraser harks back to Marcel Duchamp's readymades, its titular object stamped and signed by the artist. The show's exploration of commonality extends to shared values, which are investigated in interactive and collaboratively created pieces, as well as meditations on repeated actions or "common behaviors," like R. Justin Stewart's 31 panels that trace a month of Metro Transit rides. The preview party offers a first look at the show—even the evening's free hors d'oeuvres fit nicely into the theme of common experience—and is from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, February 5.
Feb. 5-May 23, 2010