“Citizen-artist” speaks about their work at JSMA

“Love, Desire, and Sorrow: Artworks from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation” is on view at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at the UO through May 24, 2026. The exhibit foregrounds the notion of home, broadly defined, to ponder the economic, social, cultural, and political structures and policies that shape our current existence. Artists in the exhibition investigate colonialism and the diaspora, evoking quilts or representing subjects under duress in situations where the home and body exist in a state of threat. Other artists comment on family relationships and their complex nature. Artworks in the exhibition contest normative representations of home and body to reconsider notions of belonging, justice, and healing.

“Citizen-artist” vanessa german’s artwork 7 Beautiful Ni$$As Awe-Struck in the Glory of An Appalachian Sunset (2022) is among the pieces displayed in the exhibition. german’s work examines colonization, the institutionalization of slavery, and racism and advocate for freedom and equality.

german will give an artist’s talk on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at 2 p.m. in 180 PLC. Followed by discussion in the JSMA gallery. Her talk is cosponsored by the OHC’s Endowment for Public Outreach in the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities.