Above: Vanessa German | BIRD #1, 2022 wood, foam, black pigment, grace, the dream of a human woman who became a bird to tell us that we are all more than human, glass bottles found at the trash dump for the Biltmore— the largest house in America, gold metallic paint, plaster, plaster gauze wood, ribbon, astroturf, love, an open heart. 65 1/2 x 24 x 60 inches (166.4 x 61 x 152.4 cm). Copyright of the artist.
Starting November 17, 2024, through April 13, 2025, NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale will host an exhibition featuring the works of Rose B. Simpson and vanessa german, two emerging artists whose creative dialogue has significantly shaped their artistic practice. Simpson, a Native artist from the Santa Clara Pueblo, draws from a lineage of Tewa artists, blending ancestral pottery techniques with metalwork, performance, and automotive design. german, a self-taught artist from Milwaukee, incorporates found objects into her monumental “Power Figures,” influenced by the Kongo people’s traditional Nkisi N’kondi sculptures.
Both artists address issues of structural racism and heteropatriarchy through their work, exploring post-colonial reverberations and resource extraction from Indigenous and Black perspectives. The exhibition seeks to enhance public awareness of these cultures, fostering empathy and potential systemic change.
The show will highlight their shared exploration of materiality and human connection through art. Simpson works with New Mexico clay, a direct link to her ancestral land, while german’s intuitive use of discarded objects speaks to transformation and resilience. Together, their works emphasize the relational aspect of art-making and audience engagement as a means to repair societal wounds.
Curated by Ariella Wolens, this exhibition includes pieces from the past decade, as well as newly commissioned sculptures. It will also showcase personal exchanges between the artists, providing insight into their creative bond.
Support for the exhibition comes from Francie Bishop Good & David Horvitz, Laurie Silverman, and Funding Arts Broward, Inc. NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale, located between Miami and Palm Beach, is a renowned institution recognized for its diverse collection of contemporary and Latin American art. For more details, visit https://nsuartmuseum.org.
