During these unsettled times, art allows us to reflect on and confront sociopolitical uncertainties through close looking at objects. Doris Salcedo’s sculpture Untitled (2004–5), recalling a worn, simple chair, marks the absence of countless victims lost to political violence in Colombia’s civil war. Curator Mary Schneider Enriquez will examine Salcedo’s work and will consider how an everyday object speaks to the power wielded by those whose victims remain silent.

This talk is part of a series investigating power dynamics in artworks across the collections. Considering intersections of art and power, members of our curatorial team discuss how artists engage with social and political crises, use art to upset systems of power, and imagine more equitable futures.

Led by:
Mary Schneider Enriquez, Houghton Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art

This free talk will take place online via Zoom. To join, follow this link: https://harvard.zoom.us/j/91006054299 (pre-registration not required).

For instructions on how to join a meeting in Zoom, please click here.

Art Talks Live are presented via Zoom every other Thursday afternoon at 2pm and offer an up-close look at works from our collections with our team of curators, conservators, fellows, and graduate students.

Please visit our Harvard Art Museums from Home page for a full list of online programs and a rich array of digital content on offer while the museums are closed. Receive regular updates by subscribing to our newsletter, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.