About

The Torrance Art Museum presents States of Being, an exhibition curated by Julia Schwartz that philosophically explores how nine artists construct meaning through use of various materials.

The phrase states of being can reference many different physical and psychological properties. However, these international artists – Valerie Brennan, Rebecca Campbell, Lucy Mink, Mira Gerard, David McDonald, Jennifer Wynne Reeves, Julia Schwartz, Sabine Tress, and Julie Torres – are united in their desire to interpret their world in particular and specific terms. Each identifies a particular state of being as essential when creating their work, whether it be painting, drawing, or sculpture. Their state of being is not necessarily reflective of a state of mind. Instead, these artworks reveal how the artists find or expose themselves at any given point in time – as mothers, fathers, women, men, artists, survivors, traumatized souls, and human beings.