State of the Art 2020: Constructs

State of the Art 2020: Constructs is an exploration into how contemporary art – produced all across the country including regions outside traditional art centers – reflects the present moment.

A construct is a summation of parts. It’s the relationships between a network of small ideas coming together that
build any single, weighty concept. The artworks in this show tackle extremely complex topics—from those affecting
humanity as a whole to more personal but no less complicated questions of self. The exhibition begins at a macro level: looking at artists concerned with environmental issues on
a global scale. From there, the lens narrows, focusing
on artists investigating specific locations and their
relationships to people. In the final section, all eyes are on the individual, with artworks that explore personal identity.

These 21 artists, a group of the 61 artists from the
original State of the Art 2020 exhibition, represent a taste of American art created in recent years. The approaches, backgrounds, and details of these artists’ practices vary widely, but the echoes across works and sections of the show speak to broader trends in contemporary art in this country. Reorganized around the theme of “constructs,” this focused exhibition invites visitors to consider how these artists put this theme in action.

State of The Art 2020: Constructs is organized by Crystal Bridges Museum