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Susan Harbage Page (American, b.1959)Bra (Brasier),from the portfolio Borders and Belonging (2011)Color inkjet print on cotton rag paper17" x 22"Gallery Purchase This past semester I had the privilege to study under Dr. Yurika Tamura in Gender and Sexuality Studies 345: Queer Immigration and Diaspora. Through this course, we explore queer theory as it applies to immigration, exile, and diaspora caused by contemporary globalization and transnational economics. While identity categories transcend boundaries, they are often reinforced at the border to align with the new country's normative standards. It is here, in particular, where governments tend to police sexuality and race to...

Mikael Chukwuma Owunna, 4 Queer African Women in the Snow, 2017, Inkjet print on Kodak Pro Endura, gloss finish,24 x 36 in.Gallery Purchase Mikael Chukwuma Owunna, a Nigerian-Swedish American photographer and engineer, explores the black body and queerness and imagines new realities for marginalized identities through his art. In his first monograph published in 2019, Limitless Africans, Owunna challenges the notion that it is "un-African" to be queer. Through his research, he discovered that queerness did indeed exist in pre-colonial Africa, but was suppressed and erased by European colonial convictions of what the African body is capable of and limited...

Jen Ray (American, b.1970) Untitled, 2008 Limited edition inkjet print 23 7/8 x 31 1/2 in. Gallery Purchase Fund. Having interned in the gallery for the past four years, I’ve been a part of countless exhibitions. When I think of the most exciting exhibitions, I immediately recall Jen Ray’s Surrounded by Wolves. I remember the exhibition opening, both raucous and elegant, featured student performers and lots of glitter.  Ray was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, grew up in South Carolina, and currently lives and works in NYC. Her work has been exhibited internationally at such venues as the Kasseler Kunstverein,...

Matthew Brandt (American, b. 1982)Gray's Lake, ID 7, from Lakes and Reservoirs series, 2013Unique Chromogenic print soaked in Gray's Lake water72" x 105"Gift of John Andrew MacMahon, Class of 1995 As an Environmental Studies and Studio Art double major, I am drawn to Matthew Brandt’s works. Brandt’s artistic process and resulting works captivate me.  We are fortunate to have two pieces of Brandt’s work in the collection. Since my first days at Davidson, Gray’s Lake, ID 7, from Lakes and Reservoirs Series, has hung prominently in the E.H. Little Library, and exploring the racks of the collection as a gallery intern,...

Olivia Crumm (American)The World is Breathing, 2017HD videoGallery Purchase Olivia Crumm uses her camera to capture the radiance in subjects some may deem too wearisome to photograph. She was born in Westchester, New York, and received a B.A. in photography from Bard College in 2017. The artist seems to be intrigued by skin as many of her photographs highlight the different features of skin. While her earlier works are in black and white, Crumm has begun to play with muted colors. Currently, she is based in Brooklyn, New York. Crumm has the unique ability to unearth beauty from the mundane....