Gregory Coates, ‘My Feminine Side,’ shopping cart, woman’s handbag, pigment on wooden building materials sitting on wallpaper with paint cans, 2019
SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The Walsh Gallery will present “Gregory Coates: Sheer Audacity,” a solo exhibition of recent work by the internationally renowned artist. The show will be available to view from Monday, Jan. 13, to Friday, March 6, along with an opening reception on Thursday, Jan. 30, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Seton Hall University, 400 South Orange Ave. in South Orange.
The exhibition will feature new work by Coates that he created as an homage to the women in his life and the strength they embody. It is supported in part by a regrant from the New Jersey Council on the Arts and the Essex County Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs.
A social abstractionist, Coates uses ordinary objects, such as feathers, handbags, curtains and shipping pallets, to weave stories about his experiences while simultaneously rousing personal associations for viewers with his chosen subjects and materials. Using art as a catalyst, he lures audiences into open-ended conversations to address varying societal concerns. Viewers are often disarmed by Coates’ use of textures, saturated colors and familiar objects, which enables them to participate in a politically conscious dialogue that prioritizes their points of view.
“Coates’ objects are imbued with history, relevance, memory and identity-giving footing for visitors to voice their position on the subjects the artist addresses through his art,” said Jeanne Brasile, gallery director and exhibit curator.
Visitors can also participate in a Wikithon sponsored by Seton Hall University Libraries, Art+Feminism and the Feminist Art Project at Rutgers University. The event will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 26, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Beck Rooms across from the Walsh Gallery. Assistant professor Brooke Duffy organized the Wikithon, which instructs attendees on how to edit or create Wikipedia pages using the Miriam Shapiro Archive on Women Artists as a reference. The event is free and open to the public. No advance registration is needed, and attendees may come and go as they please.
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