The University of Southern Indiana New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art (NHGCA) commemorates 50 years of exhibitions while honoring 40 years with the University of Southern Indiana in a milestone exhibition titled, Look Both Ways: 50 Years at the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art.

The exhibit, organized by Gallery Curator Audra Verona Lambert and Senior Gallery Associate Grant DiDomizio as Assistant Curator, opens to the public with a reception from 3-5 p.m. Saturday, September 6 including curator presentations and refreshments for gallery visitors. The exhibit, on view from Saturday, September 6 to Sunday, November 9, features artists from across the region and the United States.

Look Both Ways charts the evolution of the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art while presenting artworks that “look both ways,” speaking to both the impact of the gallery’s exhibition history and celebrating the avant-garde vision integral to the gallery’s identity. With pivotal artworks on display spanning printmaking, clay, painting, mixed media, installation, photography, sculpture and new media, every visitor will find something to ignite their curiosity.

“The impact of this gallery over the years is substantial, and this exhibit allows guests to grasp the myriad ways New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art has featured engaging work by living artists since its very founding,” reflects Lambert. “From an exhibit timeline tracking key developments to an audio guide that lets visitors hear directly from exhibiting artists, this exhibit makes our cultural impact tangible.”

Two presentation areas, Positions and Participation, speak to the dynamic facets of the gallery. Positions highlights how specific artistic mediums, such as clay and printmaking, have been featured in exhibits over the years. Participation, in contrast, speaks to the ways that communities have shown with the gallery, ranging from past USI Faculty showcases to New Harmony Clay Project artist-in-residency shows.

Prominent artists will be displayed whose artistic practice links to the themes in the exhibit and speaks to the gallery’s ongoing legacy. These include Stephen Pace, Mary Beth Edelson, Lenore Tawney, Janet Olivia Henry, Andy Warhol, Pablo Helguera, Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr., Michael Aakhaus, JP Begley, Anila Quayyam Agha, Katie Waters, Bill Whorral, Rudy Pizzoti and others.

A portion of the gallery is dedicated to new media art that speaks to themes that tie into the unique aspects of New Harmony as a location. Postcards from past shows and investigations of analog art forms such as mail art also will be on display alongside interactive elements for all ages to explore. A catalog and audio guide will expand access to information about the exhibit.

The Gallery is commemorating this joint 40th and 50th anniversary occasion with a series of events from September to November. The 50th anniversary birthday celebration weekend will be held from Friday through Sunday, November 7-9, with a public artmaking “block party” held at the Gallery from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, November 7. A free public presentation series will take place from 1:30-3 p.m. Saturday, November 8 at Historic New Harmony’s Atheneum, followed by a ticketed reception and auction. On Sunday, November 9, the Gallery will remain open after a special tour of the Trees of 40 Fruit with visiting artist Sam Van Aken at 10:30 a.m. For more details, visit the gallery’s events page at USI.edu/nhgallery

Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, unless otherwise stated.

The NHGCA is proud to work with the University of Southern Indiana Art Collection, the Fort Wayne Museum of Art, the Beth Rudin DeWoody Collection and many private collections and artists’ studios. Anniversary activities are provided with support from USI, the Efroymson Family Fund and the Gallery’s Advisory Board members.