BART EXPOSITO in group exhibition at Wignall Contemporary Art Museum Jan 25, 2010
Haute
Curated by Roman Stollenwerk
Wignall Museum of Contemporary Art
Chaffey College
January 25 – March 6, 2010; Artists reception January 26, 6-8pm
Haute (High):High-class, high-toned, elevated, upper; Luxury, fancy, designer.
Fashion, design, cuisine and other “lifestyle” products have distinct tiers of value. The distinction between mass-produced jeans and runway fashion is immediately apparent; however, these divides aren’t as obvious in fine art. Art is inherently “haute” because of its cost, value and the way in which it is collected, displayed and distributed. This elevated status creates a barrier from the world surrounding it and the work becomes its own isolated and autonomous entity. Haute is an exhibition curated to form a conversation about the qualities that make art “haute” and features the work of artists that utilize different strategies to recognize, challenge or disrupt this barrier.