Cruciformed Announcement

CRUCIFORMED: Images of the Cross Since 1980

Western Gallery, Western Washington University

February 10 - March 20, 1992

One of the dominant images in contemporary art since 1980 is the cross. This exhibition examines a variety of approaches, ranging from the representational to the abstract. Various questions are raised: how have these artists adapted an image once owned by the church to a contemporary context; to what extent has the cross become the property of popular culture and media; how is it used as an emblematic tool for presenting political commentary or effecting social change? Artists included are: Magdalena Abakanowicz; Vikky Alexander; Adria Aronow; Dotty Attie; Luis Cruz Azaceta; Sarah Charlesworth; Gilbert & George; Keith Haring;IRWIN; Ron Janowich; Edward Kienholz & Nancy Reddin Kienholz; Annette Lemieux; Peter Liashkov; Robert Mapplethorpe; Sam Messer; Keith Milow; Jim Morphesis; Deborah Oropallo; Jean-Marc Prouveur; Harvey Quaytman; Ridgeway Bennett; Randolfo Rocha; Arnaldo Roche-Rabell; Raymond Saunders; Italo Scanga; Andres Serrano; Tom Stanton; Jorge Tacla; John Torreano; Neil Winokur; Joel-Peter Witkin; David Wojnarowicz; and Michael Young. Cruciformed was organized by David Rubin at the Cleveland Center of Contemporary Art. The Cleveland exhibition, catalog and subsequent tour are made possible, in part, by a grant from The George Gund Foundation. 

Western Gallery Tours and Discussions 

On Wednesday at noon WWU faculty and invited guests discuss the exhibition from the viewpoint of their own disciplines and personal opinions. 

February 12

Vladimir Milicic, Professor of Russian and Linguistics 

February 19

Elizabeth Mancke, Assistant Professor, Department of History 

February 26

Amanda Eurich, Assistant Professor, Department of History

March 4

Sister Shirley Österhaus, Shalom Center

March 11

Robert Stoops, Associate Professor, Liberal Studies 

March 18

Sarah Clark-Langager, Director, Western Gallery