From nighttime constellations to fun cloud shapes to manifestations of the divine, we often look for something when our eyes turn toward the sky. Through select artworks from The Fralin’s collection, this exhibition explores the nuanced and complex relationships between the sky, landscape, and human experience, as well as the physical act of looking up.
Here you will see artworks that show intimate views of the heavens, intense loneliness, pastoral skies, bold abstractions, and dramatic figurations. With artworks dating from the 17th through 21st centuries, the works in this exhibition place earlier artists’ depictions of the celestial in conversation with those of more contemporary artists. Looking Up attests to human fascination with the sky above, an experience that transcends time and place.
As you move through this gallery space, consider the types of landscapes represented, the textures of the works, and the interplay of nature, technology, and the divine. As you look at each work, consider the act of “looking up” as a meditative practice. Does looking up make us feel small? Or part of something bigger? How might our perspective influence our view of what lies above us?
This exhibition was curated by students from the 2022–2023 University Museums Internship class: Alana Clements, Kalista Diamantopoulos, Harper Didlake, Brenna Gomez, Laura Guerrero, Anne Kickert, Krystyna Piccorossi, Rebecca Wu, and Roxy Yuan under the direction of M. Jordan Love, Carol R. Angle Academic Curator.