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New CU Art Museum exhibit highlights the ways in which art meets challenging times and finds the sometimes-elusive silver lining

It began not with the more known Confederate battle flag鈥攖he infamous stars and bars鈥攂ut with the lesser-known , a white linen towel waved on April 9, 1865, by Confederate troops when Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House, ending the U.S. Civil War.

In 2019, textile and social practice artist Sonya Clark made the flag of truce the focal point of her work , recreating the 鈥渃loth that brokered peace and represented the promise of听reconciliation.鈥� The University of Colorado Art Museum recently acquired Clark鈥檚 2022 print, Confederate, surrender, which reconstructs the historical artifact.

It was this interpretation of a lesser-known symbol that got curators and staff at the museum thinking: 鈥�(Clark) is taking this ongoing moment in history and, in many ways, elevating it with an act of repair,鈥� says Hope Saska, acting director, chief curator and director of academic engagement in the museum. 鈥淭hat started us thinking about how do artists take these times that may be challenging and then use art to respond?鈥�

The fruit of those discussions is 鈥�Better Days,鈥� an exhibition on view beginning today and open through Oct. 26, highlighting how artists 鈥渞espond to times of uncertainty鈥� with 鈥渨ork that can help make sense of the world.鈥� In the works in the exhibit, drawn from the museum鈥檚 collection, 鈥渟ome [artists] imagine a better world, encouraging viewers to find silver linings, while others reveal hidden aspects of conflict, sparking conversation鈥� Collectively, they offer ways to contend with a complex world, urging viewers to celebrate our shared humanity, witness injustice and work to repair division and inequity.鈥�

These themes are especially timely as the U.S. presidential race speeds toward election day and as events worldwide seem to create tumult and fracture rather than hope and healing, Saska says.

鈥淚n some of these artworks (in the exhibit), artists are taking stands about racial injustice and political and social conflict, or they鈥檙e making artworks related to the AIDS crisis,鈥� she explains. 鈥淔or the museum, in the climate we have today, taking on these topics kind of feels risky sometimes. We were thinking about all of these things as we curated the exhibit, so hopefully it is thought-provoking even in its challenging aspects. Our goal is that what people really get out of it is positive and reparative. We want them to come away with hope.鈥�

Daniella Fairley, a junior who is studying art history and ethnic studies with a minor in creative technology and design, completed an eight-week Art Buffs Collective internship with the CU Art Museum during the summer. As part of the internship, Fairley helped curate and create 鈥淏etter Days.鈥�

鈥淚 felt like this exhibit shows the perseverance of the human spirit and how we cope with tragedy,鈥� Fairley says. 鈥淚n seeing a lot of these art works and learning how they were made, what they represent, their stories, I feel like it's important to show how humans struggle and how we still live through it. Art connects us more than we think, and I hope that people can feel that connection or thread when looking at this show.鈥�

Lead museum attendant Bella Mahlerbe, a student in the bachelor鈥檚-accelerated master鈥檚 in art history, also provided curatorial labor for the exhibit. Malherbe worked with fellow Lead museum attendant Riley Ramsay to create a visitor feedback wall where visitors can share responses to the exhibition.

Top image: "Party Picture," by Laurie Simmons (1985)听is part of听the "Better Days" exhibition now open at the CU Art Museum.

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