Expressions: The Body Now

The vulnerability of the body is something that humans struggle with every day, and the expectations for what a body should look like have changed immensely over time. This exhibition highlights how the physical body evokes mental sensations and immerses the viewer in a sea of emotions induced by both facial expression and body language. You will see works that embody both the physical and mental challenges faced by our society and how these relate to past, present and future representations of people. How might you view these works in the context of today? Does the body say more than the face can? How have your perceptions of the human body changed over this last year- when it has been harder than ever to see others? We hope that this exhibition will help you think critically about these questions, and internalize the importance of physical expression. This exhibition was curated by students in the Spring 2021 Bucknell course, “Museums & Contemporary Curating,” taught by Samek Art Museum director Richard Rinehart and teaching assistant Rachel Martine. The artworks were selected from the Samek Art Museum’s collection for this student collaboration and final class project.