Art & Architecture: Taubman Museum of Art in Virginia, USA launches Swoon

The distinctive design of the Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke, Virginia, stands out in the urban landscape. Situated in the heart of downtown near the city market area, its location is part of the city's efforts to revitalize and enhance the cultural offerings of the downtown area.

This November, the Taubman Museum of Art has launched Swoon, an exhibition to celebrate the work of contemporary American Street artist and activist Swoon, whose real name is Caledonia Curry.  

Swoon is known for her use of delicate paper cutouts which gives her pieces a distinct and ethereal quality. 

Born in 1977 in New London, Connecticut, Swoon's work is characterized by intricately cut paper portraits and figures that she often wheat-pastes onto buildings and other public spaces. Her art often incorporates elements of mythology, social issues, and personal narratives. 

Swoon studied at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, where she developed her skills as an artist. Her early works gained attention for their unique blend of street art, activism, and community engagement. 

Swoon's work has been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world, in both solo and group exhibitions. Over the years, Swoon has collaborated with other artists and engaged in diverse projects. She has worked on large-scale installations, public murals, and community-based art initiatives. Her approach often involves collaboration with local communities to create site-specific and socially engaged artworks.

Blue Panel Star, 2020 - Swoon.
Wood, spray paint, hand-cut paper and silkscreen on
paper.

The artist adopted the name "Swoon" early in her career. The choice of the name reflects the emotional impact she aims to have on viewers with her art, creating a sense of awe or "swooning" in response to the beauty and depth of the work.   The Swoon exhibition is on until March 10, 2024.

As for the architecture of the Taubman Museum, it was designed by American architect Randall Stout (1958 - 2014) and completed in 2008. 

Stout took special care to honour naturalistic elements of the Roanoke geographic surroundings in designing the museum's architecture featuring a striking combination of glass and steel, with a dynamic, angular structure that incorporates both geometric and organic forms, according to the museum literature.

Suspended in the atrium of Taubman Museum of Art is
"Experiment in Gravity"- Alyson Shotz, 2019 - 2023
Punched, painted aluminium trailer skin, stainless steel rings, airplane cable, steel support.

The design is characterized by a series of interconnected, cantilevered boxes that create a sense of movement and openness. The extensive use of glass allows natural light to fill the interior spaces and provides visitors with views of the surrounding cityscape.  

View of Blue Ridge Mountains from McAfee Knob.

The Roanoke Star -
The iconic symbol of 
 the city of Roanoke, Virginia.

The 77-foot glass peak in the atrium recalls the point of the Roanoke Star (above Mill Mountain), and the undulating roofline reflects the Blue Ridge Mountains.

"Dancer" - Betty Branch, 1934
Rosa Portuguese Marble

An associate in Frank O. Gehry’s office before establishing his own firm in 1996 in Los Angeles, Stout was known for his innovative and sustainable architectural designs, often referenced with the influence of Frank O. Gehry and other contemporary architects such as Zaha Hadid and Coop Himmelblau.

Stout specialised in cultural projects, especially midsize museums and cultural facilities. His portfolio includes the clifflike Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts in Birmingham, Alabama, and the Art Gallery of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

At his death in 2014, Stout was an associate professor in the architecture school at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

All images by Lucia Carpio.