Artist Shimon Attie to Spotlight Bethlehem's Past and Current Scene in Upcoming Exhibit
In August 2022, Lehigh University Art Galleries will host an exhibition by renowned contemporary artist Shimon Attie. The exhibition, supported by students in the Department of Art, Architecture and Design, promises a mix of media with a central sculpture surrounded by video.
Attie, the sixth artist-in-residence in The Theodore U. Horger '61 Endowed Artist-in-Residence for the Performing and Visual Arts program, is known for projects that engage with history, memory, and place. His works often integrate the history of marginalized and forgotten communities within urban spaces using film and video.
For his residency project at Lehigh University, Attie is attracted to the history of Bethlehem Steel. The exhibition is expected to echo the multimedia installation Attie completed for the St. Louis Art Museum in 2017, Lost in Space (After Huck), which featured a floating sculpture of a raft, cast sculptures of a corn-cob pipe, knife, and bindle bag, and a contemporary, red siren light.
Attie's works have been showcased in numerous prestigious institutions, including The Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, the Art Institute of Chicago, and The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. He is a recipient of the Rome Prize, Guggenheim Fellowship, and holds the Lee Krasner Lifetime Achievement Award in Art.
In addition to the exhibition, Attie will teach a seminar class on public art, community-engaged practices, site-specific installation, performance, and a range of topics under the rubric of social practice. His previous works, such as Night Watch, originally produced in New York's East and Hudson Rivers, demonstrate his ability to shift visitors' experiences with the familiar by using everyday objects, locations, and spaces.
While specific details about the exhibition's focus, artworks, and interpretive intent are yet to be announced, it is plausible that the exhibition will explore Bethlehem’s layered narratives, juxtaposing historical and contemporary aspects through visual or multimedia works. For detailed information, we recommend consulting Lehigh University's official communications or the artist’s own publications and exhibition materials.
The Theodore U. Horger '61 Endowed Artist-in-Residence for the Performing and Visual Arts was created through an estate gift from the late Horger in 2016. The visiting artist rotates each year among the music, theatre, and art, architecture and design departments. The Department of Art, Architecture and Design's inaugural artist-in-residence was Karyn Olivier in 2018.
Shimon Attie has created approximately 30 major art projects in 10 countries across the globe. His upcoming exhibition at Lehigh University is not to be missed for those interested in contemporary art and its ability to engage with history and place.
The upcoming exhibition by Shimon Attie at Lehigh University's Art Galleries, set to delve into Bethlehem's layered narratives, will take place on the campus, offering an educational experience that blends arts, history, and self-development. Over the years, Attie's works have graced renowned institutions worldwide, demonstrating his unique ability to integrate education and self-development within the realm of science, art, and education. In the spirit of community engagement, Attie will also lead a seminar class, focusing on public art, faculty members, students, and academic departments can all look forward to this inspiring infusion of art and education.
