It Takes 2: Unexpected Pairings
The power of an artwork is often amplified when in dialogue or debate with another. It Takes 2: Unexpected Pairings explores the resonances and dissonances that arise when unrelated objects are set side by side.
Shizu Saldamando (American, b. 1978). Sandra and Tammy, Hollywood Forever, 2013. Mixed media on panel, 48 × 60 inches. Art Bridges. Photography by Edward C. Robison III.
These unlikely companions, drawn from the HRM collection, loans from Art Bridges, and private collections, span different centuries, cultures, and media. Their juxtaposition may reveal overlapping frames of reference, draw out previously unnoticed dimensions, or challenge preconceived notions of universality.
In the eight pairings featured here, each explored under a different theme, the artworks stand on their own and also hold a mirror to one another. One poignant pairing reveals two striking explorations of love. Felix Gonzalez-Torres’s “Untitled” (L.A.), 1991, is installed near an ornate wedding platter from the 1870s. Gonzalez-Torres’s candy-spill work dates from the same year he lost his beloved partner to an AIDS-related illness and is a testament to their relationship. The ceramic dish, produced by W. T. Copeland & Sons, features wedding vows as part of its decoration, including “in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.” The platter was made to hold food for wedding guests, just as Gonzalez-Torres meant for visitors to consume the commemorative candy.
In other juxtapositions, works by Georgia O’Keeffe and Andy Warhol invite us to consider organic forms we can encounter everyday from a fresh perspective, and Winslow Homer’s watercolor of a Florida coastal scene and Catherine Latson’s sculptural dress made of shells suggest changing relationships to nature. Finally, the fantasy realm of children’s play provides a vehicle for artists JooYoung Choi and Mark O’Banks to rewrite history, to upend social injustices through invented worlds and very different artistic sensibilities.
As we continue our commitment to presenting the Museum’s collection in new and exciting ways, these comparisons provide opportunities to extract new readings and perspectives on art and artists, past and present.
Several works in this exhibition are generously lent by Art Bridges, Bentonville, Arkansas, as part of the Art Bridges’ Partner Loan Network initiative.
Significant support is provided by the New York State Senate and Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.
Exhibitions are made possible by assistance provided by the County of Westchester.
Featured Artists
Mark Bradford • JooYoung Choi • Felix Gonzalez-Torres • Winslow Homer • Donald Judd • Catherine Latson • Paul Manship • Mark O’Banks • Georgia O’Keeffe • Joe Overstreet • Shizu Saldamando • Joan Snyder • Rigoberto Torres • Andy Warhol • W.T. Copeland & Sons
Selected objects
Shizu Saldamando (American, b. 1978). Sandra and Tammy, Hollywood Forever, 2013. Mixed media on panel, 48 × 60 inches. Art Bridges. Photography by Edward C. Robison III.
Rigoberto Torres (American, b. Puerto Rico, 1964). Keon and Jeanine, 1995. Painted plaster. Collection of the Hudson River Museum. Museum Commission, 1995 (1995-Torres-2). © Rigoberto Torres.
JooYoung Choi (American, b. Korea, 1982/83). Journey to the Cosmic Womb, 2018. Acrylic and paper on canvas. Art Bridges (AB.2020.13). © JooYoung Choi.
Mark O’Banks (American, 1956–2002). Nybylwyck Hall (detail), 1990–2000. Mixed media. Collection of the Hudson River Museum. Gift of Patrick Ladden, 2006 (2006.02).
Mark Bradford (American, b. 1961). Thelxiepeia, 2016. Mixed media on canvas. Art Bridges (AB.2017.14). © Mark Bradford.
Paul Manship (American, 1885–1966). Actaeon, 1925. Bronze. Collection of the Hudson River Museum. Gift of the City of Yonkers, 1948 (48.17.2). Photo by Steven Paneccasio.
Paul Manship (American, 1885–1966). Diana, 1925. Bronze. Collection of the Hudson River Museum. Gift of the City of Yonkers, 1948 (48.17.1). Photo by Steven Paneccasio.
Catherine Latson (American, b. 1960). Slippershell Gown, 2017. Slipper shells, antique beads, cotton embroidery floss, vintage lace, vintage tulle, and satin cord. Collection of the Hudson River Museum. Promised gift of the artist, 2023. Photo by Steven Paneccasio.
Joan Snyder (American, b. 1940). Roxy Red Fugue, 2017. Oil, acrylic, cloth, rosebuds, glitter, and plastic jewels on linen. Art Bridges (AB.2022.6). © Joan Snyder.
Artist unidentified. Triangles Pattern Quilt, ca. 1900. Cotton. Collection of the Hudson River Museum. Gift of Dorothy and Leo Rabkin, 1991 (91.16.16).
W. T. Copeland & Sons. Ornamental Wedding Charger, ca. 1871. Parian porcelain. Collection of the Hudson River Museum. Gift of Miss K. Flora Campbell, 1941 (41.70). Photo by Steven Paneccasio.
